Scientists at the Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), the Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), and the University of Padua, in collaboration with SenoTarg members, have discovered a new natural therapeutic that combats aging, published in Nature Aging.
Aging is a major risk factor for chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s, arthritis, cancer, and chronic kidney disease. Recent advances focus on addressing aging at the cellular level, particularly by eliminating senescent cells, which cause inflammation through the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The research team, led by Prof. Andrea Alimonti and Prof. Monica Montopoli (Associate Investigator at VIMM and the University of Padua), identified a natural senotherapeutic that can extend both lifespan and healthspan.
“Our preclinical research reveals that a low dose of Salvia haenkei extract, known as Haenkenium (HK), significantly prolongs life expectancy while promoting healthier aging,” says Prof. Alimonti. “We tested the HK extract dissolved in water, and in animal studies, it notably increased survival rates and improved various markers of aging.”
“Our data, both in vitro and in vivo, demonstrate that Haenkenium is one of the most potent senotherapeutics available, surpassing well-known products such as resveratrol and quercetin,” Prof. Alimonti concludes.
First authors of the study, Sara Zumerle and Miles Sarill, researchers at the University of Padua and VIMM, highlight the broader impacts: “Thanks to the collaborative environment of the SenoTarg we observed improvements in aging parameters across multiple tissues, including muscles, kidneys, skin, and lungs.“
The SenoTarg group have also discorvered that Haenkenium also reduced markers of cellular senescence in these tissues. Additionally, it alleviated chemotherapy-induced aging symptoms in mice treated with the anticancer drug doxorubicin.
Future Perspectives
With aging populations placing a growing burden on healthcare systems, especially in Western countries, there is a critical need for therapies that not only extend lifespan but improve the quality of life as well. The researchers aim to develop safe, effective therapies that target the root causes of aging-related diseases.
This pioneering research was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, the pharmaceutical company IBSA, and a Synergy grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation.
A follow-up projects stemming from this important publication will be major objective of the SenoTarg group.
Study Reference : “Targeting senescence induced by age or chemotherapy by a polyphenol-rich natural extract extends lifespan and healthspan in mice,” published in Nature Aging.