The hypertension drug rilmenidine has been demonstrated to have anti-aging effects in worms, which could potentially have significant implications for human longevity and health in later life stages.
Prior studies have indicated that rilmenidine replicates the impact of caloric restriction at a cellular level, a method that has been shown to extend lifespans in numerous animal models by reducing available energy while maintaining nutrition.
The potential translation of these findings to human biology or potential health risks remains a topic of ongoing debate. Finding alternative methods to achieve similar benefits without extreme calorie reduction could lead to new ways to enhance health in older age.
In a study published in January, young and old Caenorhabditis elegans worms treated with rilmenidine, a drug typically used for high blood pressure, exhibited extended lifespans and improved health markers, similar to the effects of calorie restriction, as anticipated by scientists.
“For the first time, we have been able to show in animals that rilmenidine can increase lifespan,” stated molecular biogerontologist João Pedro Magalhães, from the University of Birmingham in the UK.
“We are now keen to explore if rilmenidine may have other clinical applications.”
The C. elegans worm is frequently used for research due to genetic similarities with humans, although it is still distantly related.
Subsequent tests revealed that gene activity associated with caloric restriction could be observed in the kidney and liver tissues of mice treated with rilmenidine, indicating that some health benefits attributed to calorie restriction can also be achieved with this common hypertension medication.
Another noteworthy discovery was the essential role of a biological signaling receptor called nish-1 in the effectiveness of rilmenidine. This receptor’s particular chemical structure may be targeted in future efforts to improve lifespan and slow down the aging process.
“We found that the lifespan-extending effects of rilmenidine were abolished when nish-1 was deleted,” the researchers explained in their paper. “Critically, rescuing the nish-1 receptor reinstated the increase in lifespan upon treatment with rilmenidine.”
Low-calorie diets are challenging to maintain and are associated with various side effects, such as hair thinning, dizziness, and brittle bones. Early indications suggest that this hypertension drug could potentially offer similar benefits as a low-calorie diet with fewer adverse effects on the body.
Rilmenidine is a promising candidate for an anti-aging drug due to its oral administration, widespread prescription, and rare and relatively mild side effects (including palpitations, insomnia, and drowsiness in some cases).
While further research is necessary to determine if rilmenidine could be a viable anti-aging treatment for humans, the initial findings from worm and mice studies are promising and have expanded our understanding of its potential effects and mechanisms.
“With a global aging population, the benefits of delaying aging, even if slightly, are immense,” stated Magalhães.
The research was published in Aging Cell.
An earlier version of this article was published in January 2023.
