The Perceived Impossibility Of An Anti-Aging Pill

Recently network television news reported on the promise of a newly promoted anti-aging pill that would raise levels of natural antioxidants (superoxide dismutase and catalase) produced within the human body.  The human body obtains antioxidants from dietary sources as well as produces its own (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione).  However, a true anti-aging pill would have to address more than just antioxidant defense. 

There are so many threats to human life, ranging from infectious disease (viruses, bacteria, fungi), heavy metal overload, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and liver problems, to name a few, that for an anti-aging pill to be effective it would have to address all of these threats, and more.  This is why there is a flurry of research involving red wine molecules, since they exhibit broad biological activity.  Since 1978, published research studies involving resveratrol number 1192, with 1024 of these studies having been published within the last 5 years!

Resveratrol and quercetin, the primary small molecules under study, concentrated in red wine and also found in other botanical sources, exhibit the wide range of biological activity researchers are searching for.  The biological action of resveratrol is so profoundly broad that one group of researchers said: "Ask not what resveratrol can do, ask what it cannot do."  Researchers at the University of Illinois state that "resveratrol holds great promise for future development as a chemopreventive agent that may be useful for several disorders."  [Annals N Y Academy Sciences 2002 May; 957: 210-29]  Another research report describes resveratrol's effects as so overwhelming that it exerts "a whiff that induces a biologically specific tsunami." [Cancer Biology Therapy 2004 Sep; 3(9):889-90]

So the curious public can gain some insight into the enthusiasm medical researchers have for red wine molecules, the following chart has been produced to document some of the remarkable biological activity of resveratrol.  Here is the list:
 

THE MANY BIOLOGICAL ACTIONS OF RESVERATROL

Biological action

Reference

Preserves or stimulates superoxide dismutase (antioxidant)

J Agriculture Food Chemistry 2005 May 18; 53(10):4182-6;
Free Radical Biology Medicine 2003 Apr 1; 34(7):810-7

Elevates glutathione (antioxidant)

J Agric Food Chem. 2005 May 18; 53 (10):4182-6;
Archives Biochemistry Biophysics 2000 Sep 15; 381 (2):253-63

Elevates catalase activity (antioxidant)

Life Science 2003 May 2; 72 (24):2741-50

Prolongs life of cells via Sirtuin 1 gene

Trends Pharmacological Sciences 2005; 26: 94-103

Anti-histamine action (allergy)

Planta Medica 2004 Apr;70(4):305-9.

Anti-inflammatory agent

J Chemotherapy 2004 Nov;16 Suppl 4:3-6;
J Environ Pathology Toxicology Oncology 2004; 23(3):215-26

COX-2 inhibitor (anti-inflammatory)

Inflammation Research 2005 Apr; 54(4):158-62

Potentially helpful for rheumatoid arthritis

International Immunopharmacology 2005 May;5(5):849-56

Inhibits pancreatitis

World J Gastroenterology 11: 3171-74, 2005

Promotes DNA repair (via Sirtuin 1 gene)

Nature 2003 Sep 11; 425 (6954):191-6

Inhibits abnormal new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis)

J Physiology Pharmacology 2005 Mar;56 Suppl 1:51-69

Inhibits dietary sugar absorption

Journal Natural Products 2001; 64: 381-84

Regulates blood sugar

J Agric Food Chemistry 2005 May 4; 53(9):3403-7

Normalizes blood pressure

J Hypertension 2000 Dec; 18(12):1833-40

ACE Inhibitor properties

European J Pharmacology 2005 May 16; 515(1-3):1-9

Prevents blood clots

Blood Coagulation Fibrinolysis 2004 Sep;15(6):441-6

Reduces LDL cholesterol

Life Sciences 2003 Aug 1; 73(11):1393-400

Reduces triglycerides

Life Sciences 2003 Aug 1; 73(11):1393-400

Raises HDL "good" cholesterol

J Agric Food Chemistry 2005 May 4; 53(9):3403-7

Calms effects of estrogen (estrogen blocker)

J Steroid Biochemical Mol Biology 2005 Apr;94(5):431-43

Prevents bone loss

J Medicinal Food 2005 Spring;8(1):14-9

Protects retinal cells (retinal pigment epithelium)

Chemical Biological Interaction 2005 Jan 15;151(2):143-9

Increases sperm count

J Nutrition 2005 Apr;135(4):757-60

Inhibits viral growth (influenza)

J Infectious Disease 2005 May 15; 191 (10):1719-29

Inhibits viral growth (HIV)

J Pharm Science 2004 Oct; 93 (10):2448-57

Inhibits viral growth (herpes)

Antiviral Research 2004 Jan;61(1):19-26; 1999 Oct;43(3):145-55

Antibiotic against bacteria (Chlamydia)

Atherosclerosis 2003 Dec;171(2):379-80

Antibiotic against bacteria (H. pylori)

Am J Gastroenterology 2003 Jun;98(6):1440-1

Inhibits growth of fungi (yeast, mold)

J Agriculture Food Chemistry 2003 Feb 26;51(5):1464-8

Inhibits initiation of tumors

Proc Natl Sci Counc Repub China B. 1999 Jul;23(3):99-106

Inhibits growth of tumors

Drugs Exp Clin Res. 1999;25(2-3):65-77.

Inhibits spread of tumors

Proc Natl Sci Council Repub China B. 1999 Jul;23(3):99-106

Protects brain cells

Ann N Y Academy Sciences 2003 May;993:276-86

Inhibits hepatitis (liver inflammation)

Hepatogastroenterology 2002 Jul-Aug;49(46):1102-8

Eradicates plaque in brain (beta amyloid toxicity)

British J Pharmacology 2004 Mar;141 (6):997-1005

Chelates metals (copper)

Biochem Pharmacology 1997 May 9; 53(9):1347-55

Anti-leukemia agent

Leukemia Lymphoma 2002 May;43(5):983-7

Inhibits prostate cancer

Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers Prevention 2005 Mar;14(3):596-604

Inhibits breast cancer

Molecular Nutrition Food Research 2005 May;49(5):462-71

Inhibits melanoma

Neoplasia 2005 Jan;7(1):37-47

Inhibits liver cancer

World J Gastroenterology 2003 Oct;9(10):2341-3

Inhibits brain cancer

Molecular Cancer Therapy 2005 Apr;4(4):554-61

Inhibits pancreatic cancer

Pancreas 2002 Nov;25(4):e71-6

Inhibits kidney cancer

Cancer Biology Therapy 2004 Sep; 3(9):882-8

Inhibits colon cancer

International J Cancer. 2005 Jun 10;115(2):194-201

Inhibits ovarian and cervical cancer

Anticancer Res. 2004 Sep-Oct;24(5A):2783-840.

Inhibits lymphoma

Cancer Letters 2001 Feb 10;163(1):43-9

Non-toxic

J Nutrition 2002 Feb;132(2):257-60