Nuciferine Promotes Longevity and Fitness in Caenorhabditis elegans through the Regulation of the Insulin/IGF-1 Signaling Pathway

Abstract

Nuciferine, as one of the most abundant plant-derived alkaloids, has multiple bioactivities including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and lipid-lowering effects. Nevertheless, the antiaging effects and related mechanisms of nuciferine are rarely reported. In this study, we found that nuciferine significantly prolonged the mean lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) by 14.86% at a dose of 100 μM. Moreover, nuciferine promoted the health of C. elegans by increasing the body bending and pharyngeal pumping rates and reducing the lipofuscin accumulation level. Meanwhile, nuciferine enhanced stress tolerance by inducing the expression of stress-related genes or proteins. The molecular mechanism behind the antiaging effect of nuciferine occurred by downregulating the insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathway. Our findings shed new light on the application of nuciferine for longevity promotion and human health.