It appears that a drug used to treat high blood pressure, Rilmenidine also known as Albarel, Hypericum, Tenaxum, and Iteriummay has benefits in slowing the effects of aging and prolonging life. According to a recent study by researchers from the University of Liverpool, Rilmenidine was tested on C. Elegans worms and showed promising results in extending their lifespan and improving their health.
Rilmenidine
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Interestingly, these results are similar to those obtained when these worms are exposed to calorie restriction, which is known to have an anti-aging effect in all species. Calorie restriction slows metabolism and reduces oxidative stress, which is a factor in cellular aging and age-related diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and dementia. Studies of calorie restriction in humans have shown mixed results and may have side effects. Rilmenidine, on the other hand, has few side effects and could therefore be an effective way to slow aging.
The researchers identified Rilmenidine as having a gene expression signature similar to that of calorie restriction and found that its longevity and health benefits were mediated by a receptor called I1-imidazoline receptor Nish-1. This suggests that Rilmenidine may be a potential target for longevity research.
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As the world’s population of people over 65 is rapidly increasing, it is increasingly important to find ways to extend lifespan while also improving the quality of life. According to Professor João Pedro Magalhães, who led the research at the University of Liverpool, “With a global aging population, the benefits of delaying aging, even if slightly, are immense. Repurposing drugs capable of extending lifespan and health span has a huge untapped potential in translational geroscience. For the first time, we have been able to show in animals that Rilmenidine can increase lifespan. We are now keen to explore if Rilmenidine may have other clinical applications.”
This field of research, called translational geroscience, aims to better understand the biology of aging and to extend the number of years of healthy life by delaying the onset of age-related pathologies. The promising results of Rilmenidine open new avenues of research on this compound.
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It is important to note that this study was conducted on worms and not humans and that further research is needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Rilmenidine in humans. However, the results so far are promising and may open new avenues for research in biology.
References
Bennett, D. F., Goyala, A., Statzer, C., Beckett, C. W., Tyshkovskiy, A., Gladyshev, V. N., Ewald, C. Y., & de Magalhães, J. P. (2023). Rilmenidine extends lifespan and healthspan in Caenorhabditis elegans via a nischarin I1-imidazoline receptor. Aging Cell, 22(1), e13774. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.13774
