Anti-aging Effect of Ethanol Extract of Velvet Antler on Caenorhabditis elegans

Taking Caenorhabditis elegans as model organism, the anti-aging effect of ethanol extract of velvet antler on Caenorhabditis elegans was studied. The effects of ethanol extract of velvet antler on the aging of C. elegans were tested by lifespan, UV stress, heat stress, exercise and oviposition. The anti-oxidative stress of wild-type nematodes and mutant nematodes were detected by ethanol extract of velvet antler. The results showed that the ethanol extract of velvet antler at 2.5 mg/mL could prolong the lifespan of nematodes, the longest lifespan was 28 days.The ethanol extract of velvet antler could resist UV and heat stress, the average lifespan of nematodes was 2.81 and 3.28 days, respectively, which was better than that of the control group.The ethanol extract of velvet antler could improve the locomotion and oviposition of nematodes.Under oxidative stress, the survival time of wild-type nematode was significantly prolonged ( P <0.05). The survival time of clk-1 mutant nematode in the treatment group and the control group was not significantly different under oxidative stress, indicating that the mechanism of action might be activation of mitochondrial signaling pathway and the transcription levels of anti-oxidation genes gst-4, gst-7 and skn-1 and heat resistance hsp16.2 were up-regulated. Therefore, ethanol extract of velvet antler has anti-aging effect on nematode.