Easter Island Compound Extends Lifespan Of Old Mice: 28 To 38 Percent Longer Life
Date: 15.7.2009
The giant monoliths of Easter Island are worn, but they have endured for centuries. New research suggests that a compound first discovered in the soil of the South Pacific island might help us stand the test of time, too.
On July 8, in the journal Nature, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and two collaborating centers reported that the Easter Island compound -- called "rapamycin" after the island's Polynesian name, Rapa Nui -- extended the expected lifespan of middle-aged mice by 28 percent to 38 percent. In human terms, this would be greater than the predicted increase in extra years of life if cancer and heart disease were both cured and prevented.
Source "Sciencedaily":[ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090708132800.htm]
