UCI-Led Study Uncovers Effects of Angelica keiskei Plant Extract on Lifespan and Healthspan of Fruit Flies (Drosophila melanogaster) — Impact Varies Depending on Sex and Strain

UC Irvine researchers observed the impact of extract from the plant species Angelica keiskei on the health and lifespan of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), a study that could eventually lead to insight into the plant’s benefits for human health. The findings were published in Pharmaceuticals.

Native to Japan, Angelica keiskei (also known as ashitaba or “tomorrow’s leaf”) is eaten and used medicinally as a laxative, stimulant, anti-inflammatory, and treatment for a range of other symptoms. Although the health benefits of the plant are widely reported, analyses of this kind are rare.

“To our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluated the impact of Angelica keiskei on lifespan and healthspan in an animal model,” reported Mahtab Jafari, professor and equity advisor at the UCI School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences. Three strains of fruit flies served as test subjects.

Jafari explained, “We have developed a screening platform to evaluate the impact of botanical extracts and natural products on lifespan and healthspan using fruit fly as our model system.”

The Pharmaceuticals report further outlines the benefits of using fruit flies as models in this type of study, including that “75% of its genes have functional homology to humans and its short lifecycle and lifespan of about 60 days makes it ideal for anti-aging studies.”

The effects that the plant extract had on the animal models appeared to be dependent on the strain and sex of the flies. In female flies, Angelica keiskei had a positive impact on lifespan and healthspan. However, male flies were unaffected — or even harmed — by Angelica keiskei.

“This information will be valuable in designing studies in higher organisms such as mice, and ultimately for human trials. We may use this study as preliminary work to design pharmacogenomic studies on the safety and efficacy of botanical extracts in humans,” stated Jafari.

Although these findings point toward the possibility to conduct future studies focused on the impact of Angelica keiskei and other plant extracts on human health, such opportunities are still evolving. It is important to remember that the effects observed in animal models may not apply to humans. The results of this study have been replicated by the team, and eventually, this research may progress to utilizing mammalian models.