Dietary antiaging phytochemicals and mechanisms associated with prolonged survival

Abstract

Aging is well-known an inevitable process that is influenced by genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the aging process are not well understood. Increasing evidence shows that aging is highly associated with chronic increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), accumulation of a low-grade proinflammatory phenotype and reduction in age-related autophagy, suggesting that these factors may play important roles in promoting aging. Indeed, reduction of ROS and low-grade inflammation and promotion of autophagy by calorie restriction or other dietary manipulation can extend lifespan in a wide spectrum of model organisms. Interestingly, recent studies show that some food-derived small molecules, also called phytochemicals, can extend lifespan in various animal species. In this paper, we review several recently identified potential antiaging phytochemicals that have been studied in cells, animals and humans and further highlight the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the antiaging actions by these molecules.

Keywords: Aging; Autophagy; Calorie restriction; Inflammation; Phytochemicals; Reactive oxygen species.

Fig. 1

Hypothetical cellular and molecular mechanisms of the antiaging effects of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals extend lifespan through reducing oxidative stress, suppressing low-grade chronic inflammation and inducing autophagy. As shown, there are cross talk and interaction at both cellular and molecular levels between these events.