CYANIDIN-3-GLUCOSIDE PROMOTES LONGEVITYAND TOLERANCE AGAINST UVA AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS

Crude anthocyanins extracted from different fruits and vegetables extend the lifespan of various organisms. However, the effects of pure anthocyanin compounds on the lifespan are still unknown. In this paper, we examined the effects of cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) on the lifespan and health span of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We used egg-laying and pharyngeal pumping rates as indicators of their health. We also exposed the nematode to various stressors to determine whether C3G could protect them against heat, UVA, and H2O2 . We found out that 25 µM of C3G extended the lifespan of C. elegans by 14% and enhanced the pharyngeal pumping by 6.3% (p≤0.05) without stress. This same amount of C3G improved the pharyngeal pumping rate of the nematode by 6% under UVA stress (p≤0.05). In the presence of exogenous H2O2 , 25 µM of C3G prolonged the lifespan of C. elegans by 62% and augmented the pharyngeal pumping by 6.2% (p≤0.05). Overall, we observed that C3G extended the lifespan of C. elegans in the presence and absence of oxidative stress and improved the pharyngeal pumping even with or without UVA and oxidative stress. These findings have potential implications for the use of C3G in mitigating the effects of aging and oxidative stress. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these effects.