Identification of a Hydroxygallic Acid Derivative, Zingibroside R1 and a Sterol Lipid as Potential Active Ingredients of Extract That Has Neuroprotective and Antioxidant Effects in Aged .

We examined the effects of the extracts from two traditional Chinese medicine plants, and on the healthspan of the model organism . increased the short-term memory and the mechanosensory response of aged Furthermore, both extracts improved the resistance towards oxidative stress, and decreased the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species. Chemical analyses of the extracts revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds such as chlorogenic acid, cinnamic acid, and quercetin. A fraction from the extract enriched in zingibroside R1 improved the lifespan, the survival after heat stress, and the locomotion in a manner similar to the full extract. Thus, zingibroside R1 could be (partly) responsible for the observed health benefits of . Furthermore, a hydroxygallic acid derivative and the sterol lipid 4-alpha-formyl-stigmasta-7,24(241)-dien-3-beta-ol are abundantly present in the extract and its most bioactive fraction, but hardly in , making them good candidates to explain the overall healthspan benefits of compared to the specific positive effects on stress resistance by . Our findings highlight the overall anti-aging effects of in and provide first hints about the components responsible for these effects.