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Effects of rikkunshito supplementation on resistance to oxidative stress and lifespan in mice
Author(s) -
Wang Zi,
Komatsu Toshimitsu,
Ohata Yoshihisa,
Watanabe Yukari,
Yuan Yiwen,
Yoshii Yuki,
Park Seongjoon,
Mori Ryoichi,
Satou Motoyasu,
Kondo Yoshitaka,
Shimokawa Isao,
Chiba Takuya
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1111/ggi.13848
Subject(s) - oxidative stress , knockout mouse , medicine , oxidative phosphorylation , endocrinology , appetite , biochemistry , biology , receptor
Aim Caloric restriction (CR), which limits the caloric intake to 60–70% of ad libitum (AL) amounts in various experimental animals, delays aging and extends the lifespan. We previously showed that neuropeptide Y (NPY), an appetite‐stimulating peptide, is essential for the anti‐oxidative and life‐extending effects of CR. Here, we investigated whether a Japanese traditional herbal medicine, rikkunshito (RKT), which induces NPY activation, has CR‐like life‐extending effects. Methods First, we evaluated the life‐extending activity of RKT by examining the effect of long‐term RKT administration on wild‐type and NPY knockout mice. Furthermore, we tested whether RKT enhances CR‐mediated beneficial effects under AL conditions with a normal diet and under mild CR conditions with a high‐fat diet. We then used 3‐nitropropionic acid or doxorubicin to induce oxidative stress, and analyzed the differences in survival rate, weight loss, gene expression and cellular oxidative damage among groups. Results RKT administration did not extend the lifespan of wild‐type or NPY knockout mice. In the oxidative stress models, RKT treatment upregulated anti‐oxidative gene expression in the liver. Furthermore, RKT administration reduced the oxidative damage in the liver compared to the CR conditions alone. However, on induction of oxidative stress by 3‐nitropropionic acid or doxorubicin, RKT administration did not affect the survival rate. Conclusions These results show that RKT administration only partially mimics the effects of CR at the cellular level, but not at the organismal level to increase the lifespan of mice. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; ••: ••–•• .