Strawberry phenolic extract increases lifespan in C. elegans

The role of nutrition in ageing and longevity is well-known. It is believed that the responsibility genes have on lifespan is around 30%, with the rest depending on external factors, including nutrition. Strawberries have been demonstrated to exert multiple beneficial roles in health, including ageing. However, no relevant information is available concerning its effects on lifespan. Because of this, we tested the role of a strawberry methanolic extract on the longevity of the experimental model Caenorhabditis elegans. Two hundred and 40 N2 wild nematodes were used for each of the two experimental groups. The control group was cultivated in classical NGM and fed on OP50 Escherichia coli. The strawberry group was cultivated on NGM supplemented from birth on 100 mu g mL(-1) of strawberry methanolic extract rich in phenolic compounds, and fed on OP50 E. coli. The worms were transferred to fresh media plates every day. For the duration of the entire experiment, the number of live, dead or censored worms (animals lost or embedded in the agar, etc.) for each experimental group was counted every day. With the data, survivorship and Kaplan-Meyer curves were built. The mean lifespans were 12.6 and 14 days for the control and strawberry groups, respectively. The maximal lifespans were 23 and 28 days for control and strawberry groups, respectively. Log Rank statistical analysis, which provides an estimation about how different two survivorship curves are, led to very statistically significant differences (P=0.004). This demonstrates that supplementation on strawberry phenolic extract increased lifespan of the worms. According to these results, it can be concluded that the potential of strawberries in health can be extended into the field of longevity, which is closely related to ageing and its associated pathologies.