Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Family Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, 113 Żeromskiego Street, 90-549 Lodz, Poland.
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Rehabilitation, Medical University of Lodz, 113 Żeromskiego Street, 90-549 Lodz, Poland.
Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Dec 24;23(1):183. doi: 10.3390/ijms23010183.
Ageing, in a natural way, leads to the gradual worsening of the functional capacity of all systems and, eventually, to death. This process is strongly associated with higher metabolic and oxidative stress, low-grade inflammation, accumulation of DNA mutations and increased levels of related damage. Detrimental changes that accumulate in body cells and tissues with time raise the vulnerability to environmental challenges and enhance the risk of major chronic diseases and mortality. There are several theses concerning the mechanisms of ageing: genetic, free radical telomerase, mitochondrial decline, metabolic damage, cellular senescence, neuroendocrine theory, Hay-flick limit and membrane theories, cellular death as well as the accumulation of toxic and non-toxic garbage. Moreover, ageing is associated with structural changes within the myocardium, cardiac conduction system, the endocardium as well as the vasculature. With time, the cardiac structures lose elasticity, and fibrotic changes occur in the heart valves. Ageing is also associated with a higher risk of atherosclerosis. The results of studies suggest that some natural compounds may slow down this process and protect against age-related diseases. Animal studies imply that some of them may prolong the lifespan; however, this trend is not so obvious in humans.
衰老是一种自然现象，会导致所有系统的功能逐渐恶化，最终导致死亡。这个过程与更高的代谢和氧化应激、低度炎症、DNA 突变的积累以及相关损伤水平的增加密切相关。随着时间的推移，在体细胞和组织中积累的有害变化会增加对环境挑战的脆弱性，并增加患主要慢性疾病和死亡的风险。有几种关于衰老机制的假说：遗传、自由基端粒酶、线粒体衰退、代谢损伤、细胞衰老、神经内分泌理论、Hay-flick 限制和膜理论、细胞死亡以及有毒和无毒垃圾的积累。此外，衰老是与心肌、心脏传导系统、心内膜以及脉管系统内的结构变化相关的。随着时间的推移，心脏结构失去弹性，心脏瓣膜出现纤维化变化。衰老还与动脉粥样硬化的风险增加有关。研究结果表明，一些天然化合物可能会减缓这一过程，并预防与年龄相关的疾病。动物研究表明，其中一些化合物可能延长寿命；然而，这种趋势在人类中并不明显。
