Humans have long been searching for the fountain of youth, but scientists may have already found it — or at least something close to it. Rapamycin, a compound with medicinal properties, has found new life as a possible anti-aging drug. The cover story in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, takes a closer look at the compound to see if researchers have really found the secret to staying young.
Bethany Halford, a senior editor at C&EN, explains how rapamycin was isolated from bacteria discovered over 50 years ago on Easter Island. A few years after finding rapamycin, the laboratory where it was being studied shut down. Luckily, Suren Sehgal, a microbiologist studying the compound at the time, saved some of the bacteria in his freezer and found a new home for his research a few years later. Originally studied for its immunosuppressant and anti-cancer properties, scientists recently discovered that rapamycin may also be able to extend lifespan. In 2009, studies reported that mice fed rapamycin lived about 9 percent longer than mice that did not receive the drug. Now, scientists are starting to test this on larger mammals.
However, scientists don't recommend rushing out for a rapamycin prescription just yet. Studies have not yet determined if the drug is safe for long-term use. Over a sustained period, it can suppress the immune system, which could lead to infection. Still, scientists are working to tweak the drug and are optimistic about its future.
Read the story here.
American Chemical Society, ACS is a congressionally chartered independent membership organization which represents professionals at all degree levels and in all fields of chemistry and sciences that involve chemistry.
