Pomegranate Juice Enhances Healthy Lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster: An Exploratory Study

Small organism models for mode of action research on anti-ageing and nootropic herbs, foods, and formulations

With global increase in ageing population along with increasing age-related neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), development of sustainable, safe and effective solutions for promoting healthy ageing and preventing diseases has become a priority. Traditional healthcare systems/medicines prescribe several herbs, foods and formulations to promote healthy ageing and prevent and/or treat age-related diseases. However, the scientific data elucidating their mechanism of action is very limited and deeper research using different models is warranted for timely and wider use. The clinical studies and research with higher model organisms, although useful, have several practical, technical, and financial limitations. Conversely, small organism models like Yeast, Roundworm, Fruit fly, and Zebrafish, which have genetic similarities to humans, can replicate the disease features and provide behavioural, cellular and molecular insights. The common features of ageing and NDs, like amyloid protein aggregations, oxidative stress, energy dysregulation, inflammation and neurodegeneration can be mimicked in the small organism models for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's diseases, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. This review focuses on small organism model- based research unveiling interesting modes of action and synergistic effects of herbal extracts, foods, and formulations, which are indicated especially for healthy ageing and management of NDs. This will provide leads for the quick and sustainable development of scientifically evaluated solutions for clinically relevant, age-related conditions.

Scientific evidence of foods that improve the lifespan and healthspan of different organisms

Age is a risk factor for numerous diseases. Although the development of modern medicine has greatly extended the human lifespan, the duration of relatively healthy old age, or 'healthspan', has not increased. Targeting the detrimental processes that can occur before the onset of age-related diseases can greatly improve health and lifespan. Healthspan is significantly affected by what, when and how much one eats. Dietary restriction, including calorie restriction, fasting or fasting-mimicking diets, to extend both lifespan and healthspan has recently attracted much attention. However, direct scientific evidence that consuming specific foods extends the lifespan and healthspan seems lacking. Here, we synthesized the results of recent studies on the lifespan and healthspan extension properties of foods and their phytochemicals in various organisms to confirm how far the scientific research on the effect of food on the lifespan has reached.

Artemisia argyi extract exerts antioxidant properties and extends the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster

BACKGROUND

Chinese mugwort (Artemisia argyi) possesses extensive pharmacological activities associated with anti-tumour, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. The present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and anti-ageing effects of A. argyi extract (AAE) on the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) ageing model by detecting antioxidant enzyme activities and the mRNA level of antioxidant genes.

RESULTS

AAE could significantly lengthen the mean lifespan, 50% survival days, and maximum lifespan of D. melanogaster, especially when the amount of AAE added reached 6.68 mg mL-1, the mean lifespan of both female and male flies increased by 23.74% and 22.30%, respectively, indicating the effective life extension effect of AAE. At the same time, AAE could improve the climbing ability and tolerance to hydrogen peroxide in D. melanogaster. In addition, the addition of AAE effectively increased the activities of copper-zinc-containing superoxide dismutase, manganese-containing superoxide dismutase and catalase in D. melanogaster and reduced the contents of malondialdehyde. Moreover, when reared with diets containing AAE, the expression of antioxidant-related genes SOD1, SOD2 and CAT was up-regulated in D. melanogaster and down-regulated for MTH genes.

CONCLUSION

The study indicates that AAE effectively enhances the antioxidant capacity of D. melanogaster and has potential applications as an antioxidant and anti-ageing agent in the nutraceutical industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Gender-specific effects of pro-longevity interventions in Drosophila

Sex differences in lifespan are well recognized in the majority of animal species. For example, in male versus female Drosophila melanogaster there are significant differences in behavior and physiology. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms of gender differences in responses to pro-longevity interventions in this model organism. Here we summarize the existing data on the effects of nutritional and pharmacological anti-aging interventions such as nutrition regimens, diet and dietary supplementation on the lifespan of male and female Drosophila. We demonstrate that males and females have different sensitivities to interventions and that the effects are highly dependent on genetic background, mating, dose and exposure duration. Our work highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms that underlie the gender-specific effect of anti-aging manipulations. This will provide insight into how these benefits may be valuable for elucidating the primary physiological and molecular targets involved in aging and lifespan determination.

Drosophila as an Animal Model for Testing Plant-Based Immunomodulators

Allopathic medicines play a key role in the prevention and treatment of diseases. However, long-term consumption of these medicines may cause serious undesirable effects that harm human health. Plant-based medicines have emerged as alternatives to allopathic medicines because of their rare side effects. They contain several compounds that have the potential to improve health and treat diseases in humans, including their function as immunomodulators to treat immune-related diseases. Thus, the discovery of potent and safe immunomodulators from plants is gaining considerable research interest. Recently, Drosophila has gained prominence as a model organism in evaluating the efficacy of plant and plant-derived substances. Drosophila melanogaster "fruit fly" is a well-known, high-throughput model organism that has been used to study different biological aspects of development and diseases for more than 110 years. Most developmental and cell signaling pathways and 75% of human disease-related genes are conserved between humans and Drosophila. Using Drosophila, one can easily examine the pharmacological effects of plants/plant-derived components by employing a variety of tests in flies, such as survival, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cell death tests. This review focused on D. melanogaster's potential for identifying immunomodulatory features associated with plants/plant-derived components.

Hybrid Assembly and Annotation of the Genome of the Indian Punica granatum, a Superfood

The wonder fruit pomegranate (Punica granatum, family Lythraceae) is one of India’s economically important fruit crops that can grow in different agro-climatic conditions ranging from tropical to temperate regions. This study reports high-quality de novo draft hybrid genome assembly of diploid Punica cultivar “Bhagwa” and identifies its genomic features. This cultivar is most common among the farmers due to its high sustainability, glossy red color, soft seed, and nutraceutical properties with high market value. The draft genome assembly is about 361.76 Mb (N50 = 40 Mb), ∼9.0 Mb more than the genome size estimated by flow cytometry. The genome is 90.9% complete, and only 26.68% of the genome is occupied by transposable elements and has a relative abundance of 369.93 SSRs/Mb of the genome. A total of 30,803 proteins and their putative functions were predicted. Comparative whole-genome analysis revealed Eucalyptus grandis as the nearest neighbor. KEGG-KASS annotations indicated an abundance of genes involved in the biosynthesis of flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, and secondary metabolites, which are responsible for various medicinal properties of pomegranate, including anticancer, antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. The genome and gene annotations provide new insights into the pharmacological properties of the secondary metabolites synthesized in pomegranate. They will also serve as a valuable resource in mining biosynthetic pathways for key metabolites, novel genes, and variations associated with disease resistance, which can facilitate the breeding of new varieties with high yield and superior quality.

A review on the concept of aging in Ayurveda literature

OBJECTIVES

Various aspects of aging in Ayurveda literature has been explored and correlated it with modern biological understanding.

CONTENT

The concept of longevity is better understood upon the baseline understanding of Aging ie. Jara. Manda Jara or Ajara is synonymous with longevity. Vriddhavastha/Jirnavastha/Jara (old age) is the period after 60 or 70 years of age. This stage of life becomes very crucial as degenerative changes occur in the body. Deterioration occurs to Dhatus, Indriya (perception power), Bala (strength), Virya (potency), Utsaha (enthusiasm), Paurusha (masculinity), Parakrama (valour), Grahana (reception), Dharana (retention), Smarana (memory), Vachana (speech). Brihatrayis and Laghutrayis were reviewed to analyze the various aspects of Ayu and Jara and correlated with research papers establishing the concept of aging in terms of evidence-based technological advancements. Databases like PubMed, Scopus were searched using keywords like Jara, Ayu Lakshana, Aging, Old age, Senescence, biomarkers, DNA, blood biochemistry, proteomics, genomics, microbiota, microbiome, androgen, estrogen, lipolysis, peripheral blood monocytes, collagen, cognitive function; with the help of Boolean operators.

SUMMARY

Various aspects of Jara in Ayurveda have been analyzed by taking ample references from evidence-based technological advancements related to the physiology of aging. The indicators of biological aging based on recent researches like genomic irregularities, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, altered protein expression, immunological markers, oxidative stress, pathological microbiota profile, telomere shortening in peripheral blood monocytes, lipolysis, and many other factors have been put forward for basic evidence in relation with Jara Lakshana.

OUTLOOK

Understanding the physiology of aging will give the insight to manage the elderly. So, the need of the hour is to develop strategies or to conduct more researches which prevent senile disorders and thus increase the health span for the future generation.

Honeysuckle extract (Lonicera pallasii L.) exerts antioxidant properties and extends the lifespan and healthspan of Drosophila melanogaster

Honeysuckle Lonicera pallasii (Lonicera caerulea L.) is an excellent source of anthocyanins which have a number of health-promoting properties mainly associated with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) is one of the most common anthocyanins naturally found in honeysuckle. The goal of the present study was to investigate antioxidant and anti-aging properties of Lonicera pallasii (Lonicera caerulea L.) extract (LE) and C3G using red blood cells (RBC) and Drosophila melanogaster models. LE and C3G treatment at a concentration of 100 μM induced enhancement of median and maximum lifespan up to 8%. LE and C3G supplementation at a concentration of 100 μM increased stress resistance up to 10%. The locomotor activity decreased during LE and C3G treatment in 4 and 6 weeks up to 52% in females. The integrity of the intestinal barrier was increased by 4% after LE treatment. These effects were accompanied by increased expression of Hif1 (pro-longevity gene) in response to C3G treatment and decreased expression of Keap1 (anti-longevity gene) after C3G and LE supplementation. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of Sirt6 completely abolished the positive effect obtained of LE and C3G supplementation in males which indicates that lifespan-extending effect is associated with Sirt6 activation. The experiments on the various in-vitro models (including radical scavenging activity and oxidative hemolysis of RBC demonstrated antioxidant and membrane-protective activities of LE and C3G. The present study indicates that Lonicera extract can prolong the lifespan and improve the healthspan of Drosophila model through biological and antioxidant activities.

Autophagy and the hallmarks of aging

Autophagy, an essential cellular process that mediates degradation of proteins and organelles in lysosomes, has been tightly linked to cellular quality control for its role as part of the proteostasis network. The current interest in identifying the cellular and molecular determinants of aging, has highlighted the important contribution of malfunctioning of autophagy with age to the loss of proteostasis that characterizes all old organisms. However, the diversity of cellular functions of the different types of autophagy and the often reciprocal interactions of autophagy with other determinants of aging, is placing autophagy at the center of the aging process. In this work, we summarize evidence for the contribution of autophagy to health- and lifespan and provide examples of the bidirectional interplay between autophagic pathways and several of the so-called hallmarks of aging. This central role of autophagy in aging, and the dependence on autophagy of many geroprotective interventions, has motivated a search for direct modulators of autophagy that could be used to slow aging and extend healthspan. Here, we review some of those ongoing therapeutic efforts and comment on the potential of targeting autophagy in aging.

Xanthohumol prolongs lifespan and decreases stress-induced mortality in Drosophila melanogaster

Aging is a significant risk factor that links to the genesis of human diseases. The capacity to scavenge free radicals and adapt to various stresses is essential for expanding living organisms' lifespan. The evidences on the promotion of longevity by dietary supplementation are growing. Drosophila or fruit fly is one of the most effective models for the evaluation of anti-aging compounds. Xanthohumol (XN) is a potential bioactive substance for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. The previous studies have reported its potent activities as antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial antiplasmodial, and antiobesity. In this study, the effect of XN supplementation on the lifespan extension was investigated in Drosophila melanogaster. The effects of XN on the improvement of the recovery from cold and heat shock, the resistance to starvation stress, and free radical-induced oxidative stress in XN-treated flies were also evaluated. Results showed that supplementation with XN at 0.5 mg/mL diet extended the mean lifespan by 14.89%. This was consistent with a significant improvement of locomotor activity of the Drosophila fed with an XN-mixed diet compared with those fed with a control diet. XN supplementation significantly increased the antioxidant enzyme activities at both 25 and 40 days. Drosophila treated with XN exhibited increased survival after exposure to hydrogen peroxide and paraquat. Finally, XN supplementation improved the recovery from cold and heat shock, the resistance to starvation stress, and acetic acid-induced stress. The present study shows that dietary supplementation with XN revealed the longevity effect and ameliorated stress-induced mortality in Drosophila.

Ethanol extract of Cassia siamea L. increases life span in Drosophila melanogaster

The stem of Cassia siamea L. (Fabaceae) has been used in traditional Thai medicine as a longevity remedy. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of ethanolic stem extract of C. siamea (CSE) on the life span of Drosophila melanogaster. The results showed that a diet containing 10 mg/mL CSE could significantly extend the mean life span of D. melanogaster by 14% compared with the control diet (P < 0.01). The maximum life span was 74, 78, and 84 days in control, CSE (5 mg/mL) and CSE (10 mg/mL) groups, respectively. Supplementation of CSE at 10 mg/mL also significantly increases the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) at days 25 and 40 compared with the control diet. Treatment of CSE at 5 and 10 mg/mL significantly increased the climbing ability of D. melanogaster both on days 25 and 40 compared with the control flies. Paraquat and H₂O₂ challenge test showed that flies fed with CSE at 10 mg/mL had a longer survival time than the control flies (P < 0.01). This study provides supportive evidence that supplementation with CSE prolonged life span and reduced oxidative stress in D. melanogaster.

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Supplementation with Cassia siamea extract extended the lifespan and improved the fly's locomotor activity

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C. siamea extract supplementation increased SOD and CAT activities in the fly.

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C. siamea extract supplementation improved survival after exposure to free radicals in the fly.

Mitochondria, the gut microbiome and ROS

In this review, we discuss the connections between mitochondria and the gut microbiome provided by reactive oxygen species (ROS). We examine the mitochondrion as an endosymbiotic organelle that is a hub for energy production, signaling, and cell homeostasis. Maintaining a diverse gut microbiome is generally associated with organismal fitness, intestinal health and resistance to environmental stress. In contrast, gut microbiome imbalance, termed dysbiosis, is linked to a reduction in organismal well-being. ROS are essential signaling molecules but can be damaging when present in excess. Increasing ROS levels have been shown to influence human health, homeostasis of gut cells, and the gastrointestinal microbial community's biodiversity. Reciprocally, gut microbes can affect ROS levels, mitochondrial homeostasis, and host health. We propose that mechanistic understanding of the suite of bi-directional interactions between mitochondria and the gut microbiome will facilitate innovative interdisciplinary studies examining evolutionary divergence and provide novel treatments and therapeutics for disease. GLOSS: In this review, we focus on the nexus between mitochondria and the gut microbiome provided by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondria are a cell organelle that is derived from an ancestral alpha-proteobacteria. They generate around 80% of the adenosine triphosphate that an organism needs to function and release a range of signaling molecules essential for cellular homeostasis. The gut microbiome is a suite of microorganisms that are commensal, symbiotic and pathogenic to their host. ROS are one predominant group of essential signaling molecules that can be harmful in excess. We suggest that the mitochondria- microbiome nexus is a frontier of research that has cross-disciplinary benefits in understanding genetic divergence and human well-being.

The Drosophila Model: Exploring Novel Therapeutic Compounds against Neurodegenerative Diseases

Polyphenols are secondary metabolites of plants, fruits, and vegetables. They act as antioxidants against free radicals from UV light, pathogens, parasites, and oxidative stress. In Drosophila models, feeding with various polyphenols results in increased antioxidant capacity and prolonged lifespan. Therefore, dietary polyphenols have several health advantages for preventing many human diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the exact role of polyphenols in neurodegenerative diseases is still yet to be completely defined. This review focuses on the most recent studies related to the therapeutic effect of polyphenols in neurodegenerative disease management and provides an overview of novel drug discovery from various polyphenols using the Drosophila model.

Ellagic acid prolongs the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster

Wild-type Canton-S flies of Drosophila melanogaster were treated with ellagic acid at 100 μM and 200 μM concentrations. Longevity assay showed male flies fed with 200 μM ellagic acid displayed longer mean lifespan and maximum lifespan than control flies. Female flies fed with 200 μM ellagic acid laid less number of eggs than control. The eclosion time was less in female flies fed with 200 μM ellagic acid. Ellagic acid fed female flies performed better than male flies and control flies for heat shock tolerance and starvation stress. Male flies treated with 100 μM ellagic acid recovered faster from cold shock compared with control flies. Male and female flies treated with ellagic acid displayed increased survival following exposure to 5% hydrogen peroxide. Gene expression studies displayed upregulated expressions of CAT, dFOXO, ATG1, and SOD2 in ellagic acid-treated male flies, and upregulated expressions of dFOXO, CAT, and SOD2 in ellagic acid-treated female flies. Results from these studies show the pro-longevity effect of ellagic acid on Drosophila melanogaster.

Nutrigenomics as a tool to study the impact of diet on aging and age-related diseases: the Drosophila approach

Aging is a complex phenomenon caused by the time-dependent loss of cellular homeodynamics and consequently of physiological organismal functions. This process is affected by both genetic and environmental (e.g., diet) factors, as well as by their constant interaction. Consistently, deregulation of nutrient sensing and signaling pathways is considered a hallmark of aging. Nutrigenomics is an emerging scientific discipline that studies changes induced by diet on the genome and thus it considers the intersection of three topics, namely health, diet, and genomics. Model organisms, such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, have been successfully used for in vivo modeling of higher metazoans aging and for nutrigenomic studies. Drosophila is a well-studied organism with sophisticated genetics and a fully annotated sequenced genome, in which ~ 75% of human disease-related genes have functional orthologs. Also, flies have organs/tissues that perform the equivalent functions of most mammalian organs, while discrete clusters of cells maintain insect carbohydrate homeostasis in a way similar to pancreatic cells. Herein, we discuss the mechanistic connections between nutrition and aging in Drosophila, and how this model organism can be used to study the effect of different diets (including natural products and/or their derivatives) on higher metazoans longevity.

Molecular basis for efficacy of Guduchi and Madhuyashti feeding on different environmental stressors in Drosophila

Stressors of different kinds adversely affect life history parameters like growth, development, and reproduction. Organisms overcome the negative impact of environmental stressors and strive to reach a tolerant state through genetic and metabolic activities. Ayurvedic formulations are reported to have life trait benefitting properties which improve capacity to withstand stress and tolerate adverse conditions. Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) and Madhuyashti (Glycirrhiza glabra) Ayurvedic formulations are known to have immunomodulatory, intellect promoting, and adaptogenic properties, thus favoring good health and healthy aging. Present study investigates the efficacy of Guduchi and Madhuyashti in providing tolerance to different stresses and the underlying mechanisms using the Drosophila model. Drosophila larvae/flies fed on Guduchi or Madhuyashti were better thermo-protected, which correlated with increased expression of heat shock genes even without the heat shock. Guduchi or Madhuyashti feeding also increased antimicrobial peptide expression, thus providing better tolerance to pathogenic assaults. Feeding on Guduchi- or Madhuyashti- supplemented food also enhanced starvation and desiccation tolerance. However, neither of these formulations provided beneficial effects when grown under crowded conditions or when exposed to oxidative stressors.

Pomegranate juice and extract extended lifespan and reduced intestinal fat deposition in Caenorhabditis elegans

Pomegranate juice with a high content of polyphenols, pomegranate extract, ellagic acid, and urolithin A, have anti-oxidant and anti-obesity effects in humans. Pomegranate juice extends lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) (n = 6) compared to the control group in each treatment, lifespan was increased by pomegranate juice in wild type (N2, 56 %, P < 0.001) and daf-16 mutant (daf-16(mgDf50)I) (18 %, P = 0.00012), by pomegranate extract in N2 (28 %, P = 0.00004) and in daf-16(mgDf50)I (10 %, P < 0.05), or by ellagic acid (11 %, P < 0.05). Pomegranate juice reduced intestinal fat deposition (IFD) in C. elegans (n = 10) N2 (-68 %, P = 0.0003) or in the daf-16(mgDf50)I (-33 %, P = 0.0034). The intestinal fat deposition was increased by pomegranate extract in N2 (137 %, P < 0.0138) and in daf-16(mgDf50)I (26 %, P = 0.0225), by ellagic acid in N2 (66 %, P < 0.0001) and in daf-16(mgDf50)I (74 %, P < 0.0001), or by urolithin A in N2 (57 %, P = 0.0039) and in daf-16(mgDf50)I (43 %, P = 0.0001). These effects were partially mediated by the daf-16 pathway. The data may offer insights to human aging and obesity due to homology with C. elegans.

Pomegranate activates TFEB to promote autophagy-lysosomal fitness and mitophagy

Mitochondrial dysfunction underscores aging and diseases. Mitophagy (mitochondria + autophagy) is a quality control pathway that preserves mitochondrial health by targeting damaged mitochondria for autophagic degradation. Hence, molecules or compounds that can augment mitophagy are therapeutic candidates to mitigate mitochondrial-related diseases. However, mitochondrial stress remains the most effective inducer of mitophagy. Thus, identification of mitophagy-inducing regimes that are clinically relevant is favorable. In this study, pomegranate extract (PE) supplementation is shown to stimulate mitophagy. PE activates transcription factor EB (TFEB) to upregulate the expression of autophagy and lysosomal genes for mitochondrial quality control under basal and stress conditions. Basally, PE alters mitochondrial morphology and promotes recruitment of autophagosomes to the mitochondria (mitophagosome formation). Upon onset of mitochondrial stress, PE further augments mitophagosome formation, and engages PINK1 and Parkin to the mitochondria to potentiate mitophagy. This cellular phenomenon of PE-induced mitophagy helps to negate superfluous mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial impairment. Overall, our study highlights the potential of PE supplementation as a physiological therapy to modulate TFEB activity to alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction in aging and mitochondrial-related diseases.

Complex effects of Ayurvedic formulation: Guduchi and Madhuyashti on different components of life history may elude the elixir effect

Formulations from the traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda, have long been considered to have potent life-style enhancing effects, possibly by their effect(s) on key life-history attributes. Although several studies have reported beneficial effects of these formulations on different components of life history, few have investigated their concurrent influence on various life-history traits. Here, we report the results of an investigation showing the effect of two well-known Ayurvedic formulations, Guduchi and Madhuyashti, on fecundity and longevity of Drosophila melanogaster. Flies were either grown (i.e., larval exposure) and/or maintained (i.e., adult exposure) on standard food supplemented with 0.5% Guduchi or 0.5% Madhuyashti. It was observed that the longevity of adult flies of both sexes was not affected on feeding Guduchifood, but fecundity of the females was greatly enhanced. Fecundity was also found to be affected by the adult food and whether their mates were grown on Guduchi or normal food. Madhuyashti, on the other hand, significantly reduced mean longevity and had a stimulatory effect on female fecundity. This fecundity enhancing effect however seemed to be mediated through its effect on the males. Interestingly, much of these effects interacted with age in a complex way, making it difficult to generalize the overall effect of these formulations on the reproductive output of the flies. Ourstudy underlines the importance of evaluating the interacting effects of these (and similar) formulations on a range of life-history traits in a holistic way to understand their utility better.

Drosophila melanogaster as a Versatile Model Organism in Food and Nutrition Research

Drosophila melanogaster has been widely used in the biological sciences as a model organism. Drosophila has a relatively short life span of 60-80 days, which makes it attractive for life span studies. Moreover, approximately 60% of the fruit fly genes are orthologs to mammals. Thus, metabolic and signal transduction pathways are highly conserved. Maintenance and reproduction of Drosophila do not require sophisticated equipment and are rather cheap. Furthermore, there are fewer ethical issues involved in experimental Drosophila research compared with studies in laboratory rodents, such as rats and mice. Drosophila is increasingly recognized as a model organism in food and nutrition research. Drosophila is often fed complex solid diets based on yeast, corn, and agar. There are also so-called holidic diets available that are defined in terms of their amino acid, fatty acid, carbohydrate, vitamin, mineral, and trace element compositions. Feed intake, body composition, locomotor activity, intestinal barrier function, microbiota, cognition, fertility, aging, and life span can be systematically determined in Drosophila in response to dietary factors. Furthermore, diet-induced pathophysiological mechanisms including inflammation and stress responses may be evaluated in the fly under defined experimental conditions. Here, we critically evaluate Drosophila melanogaster as a versatile model organism in experimental food and nutrition research, review the corresponding data in the literature, and make suggestions for future directions of research.

Longevity promoting efficacies of different plant extracts in lower model organisms

Past investigations have shown that various plant extracts are capable of promoting longevity in lower model organisms like Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bombyx mori etc. Longevity studies on such organisms provide a foundation to explore anti-aging efficacies of such plant extracts in higher organisms. Plant extracts of acai palm, apple, asparagus, blueberry, cinnamon, cocoa, Damnacanthus, maize, milk thistle, mistletoe, peach, pomegranate, Rhodiola, rose, Sasa, turmeric, and Withania have extended lifespan in lower model organisms via diverse mechanisms like insulin like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. Knowledge of pathways altered by the extracts can be investigated as potential drug-targets for natural anti-aging interventions. Thus, the aim of the review is to scrutinize longevity promoting efficacies of various plant extracts in lower model organisms.

Dietary Resveratrol Does Not Affect Life Span, Body Composition, Stress Response, and Longevity-Related Gene Expression in Drosophila melanogaster

In this study, we tested the effect of the stilbene resveratrol on life span, body composition, locomotor activity, stress response, and the expression of genes encoding proteins centrally involved in ageing pathways in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. Male and female w¹¹¹⁸ D. melanogaster were fed diets based on sucrose, corn meal, and yeast. Flies either received a control diet or a diet supplemented with 500 µmol/L resveratrol. Dietary resveratrol did not affect mean, median, and maximal life span of male and female flies. Furthermore, body composition remained largely unchanged following the resveratrol supplementation. Locomotor activity, as determined by the climbing index, was not significantly different between control and resveratrol-supplemented flies. Resveratrol-fed flies did not exhibit an improved stress response towards hydrogen peroxide as compared to controls. Resveratrol did not change mRNA steady levels of antioxidant (catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, NADH dehydrogenase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase 2) and longevity-related genes, including sirtuin 2, spargel, and I'm Not Dead Yet. Collectively, present data suggest that resveratrol does not affect life span, body composition, locomotor activity, stress response, and longevity-associated gene expression in w¹¹¹⁸ D. melanogaster.

Drosophila melanogaster "a potential model organism" for identification of pharmacological properties of plants/plant-derived components

Plants/plant-derived components have been used from ancient times to treat/cure several human diseases. Plants and their parts possess several chemical components that play the vital role in the improvement of human health and their life expectancy. Allopathic medicines have been playing a key role in the treatment of several diseases. Though allopathic medicines provide fast relief, long time consumption cause serious health concerns such as hyperallergic reactions, liver damage, etc. So, the study of medicinal plants which rarely cause any side effect is very important to mankind. Plants contain many health benefit properties like antioxidant, anti-aging, neuroprotective, anti-genotoxic, anti-mutagenic and bioinsecticidal activity. Thus, identification of pharmacological properties of plants/plant-derived components are of utmost importance to be explored. Several model organisms have been used to identify the pharmacological properties of the different plants or active components therein and Drosophila is one of them. Drosophila melanogaster "fruit fly" is a well understood, high-throughput model organism being used more than 110 years to study the different biological aspects related to the development and diseases. Most of the developmental and cell signaling pathways and ∼75% human disease-related genes are conserved between human and Drosophila. Using Drosophila, one can easily analyze the pharmacological properties of plants/plant-derived components by performing several assays available with flies such as survivorship, locomotor, antioxidant, cell death, etc. The current review focuses on the potential of Drosophila melanogaster for the identification of medicinal/pharmacological properties associated with plants/plant-derived components.

Exploring Ayurvedic Knowledge on Food and Health for Providing Innovative Solutions to Contemporary Healthcare

Ayurveda, a traditional system of medicine that originated over three millennia ago in the South Asian region, offers extensive insights about food and health based on certain unique conceptual as well as theoretical positions. Health is defined as a state of equilibrium with one's self (svasthya) but which is inextricably linked to the environment. Ayurvedic principles, such as the tridosa (three humors) theory, provide the relationship between the microcosm and the macrocosm that can be applied in day-to-day practice. Classical Ayurveda texts cover an array of themes on food ranging from diversity of natural sources, their properties in relation to seasons and places and to their specific function both in physiological and pathological states. The epistemic perspective on health and nutrition in Ayurveda is very different from that of biomedicine and modern nutrition. However, contemporary knowledge is reinventing and advancing several of these concepts in an era of systems biology, personalized medicine, and the broader context of a more holistic transition in sciences in general. Trans-disciplinary research could be important not only for pushing the boundaries of food and health sciences but also for providing practical solutions for contemporary health conditions. This article briefly reviews the parallels in Ayurveda and biomedicine and draws attention to the need for a deeper engagement with traditional knowledge systems, such as Ayurveda. It points out that recreation of the methodologies that enabled the holistic view point about health in Ayurveda may unravel some of the complex connections with Nature.