Anti-aging drug to increase the lifespan of humans to 150 years

13 March, 2013

A new drug is being developed by using some special compounds that are present in red wine. This new drug can combat aging and can increase the lifespan to 150 years. This drug - a landmark research in medical field - is expected to be in markets within five years.

A research published in the journal Science shows that all the 117 drugs work on the same enzyme through a single mechanism. The new drugs are synthetic versions of resveratrol, found in red wine that has an anti-aging effect, as it boosts the activity of a protein called SIRT1. Resveratrol is also found in the skin of red grapes.

The pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline is testing the medications on patients with medical conditions like diabetes, heart diseases and cancer. It is observed that, a single anti-aging enzyme has the potential to improve age related problems and increases the life-span. The Genetics professor David Sinclair based at Harvard University told Daily Mail, “Ultimately, these drugs would treat one disease, but unlike drugs of today, they would prevent 20 others. In effect, they would slow aging.”

Usually, the enzyme SIRT1 activates naturally by calorie restriction and exercise but it can also be enhanced through activators. And the most common activator is resveratrol, which is found in minute quantities in red wine and the skin of red grapes. The new technology has come up with four thousand synthetic activators, which are 100 times as potent as a single glass of red wine.

But Professor Sinclair, who suggests the first therapeutic to be marketed will be for diabetes, says, “Our drugs can mimic the benefits of diet and exercise, but there is no impact on weight. Now we are looking at whether there are benefits for those who are already healthy.”