Can this rare plant be the key to the next generation of powerful natural anti-aging products?

Aging is a natural part of life, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot prevent age-related diseases. Fortunately, researchers continue to reveal natural products that will help people age healthily. In a study published in the journal Industrial Crops and Products, researchers found that sea rose (Armeria pungens), also known as the spiny thrift, is a great anti-aging agent that can be used in natural products.

The researchers, who were from the University of Algarve, the University of Lisbon, Selcuk University, and the University of Mauritius, looked at the anti-aging potential of the leaf, stalk, and flower extracts of sea rose.

For the study, the research team prepared ethyl acetate, acetone, ethanol, and water extracts from flowers, stalks, and leaves of sea rose. Then, they measured the antioxidant properties, such as neuroprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-wrinkles and anti-melanogenic activities, and compounds of the extracts.

Throughout their in vitro study, they identified that the extracts contain 19 phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, and catechin – which was the primary compound.

Out of all the various extracts examined, ethanol extracts from leaves and flowers of sea rose exhibited the most promising anti-aging properties. The researchers found that the ethanol sea rose leaf extract displayed the greatest radical-scavenging and copper-chelating activities. They also discovered that the water and ethanol leaf extracts displayed the greatest inhibitory effect against acetylcholinesterase (AchE). However, only the leaf ethanol extract significantly inhibited both AchE and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) as well as lipase. The acetone stalk extract also showed the highest iron-chelating activity.

Based on the findings of the study, the research team concluded that the leaf and flower extracts of sea rose can be used in natural products as an anti-aging agent.

Natural ways to age healthily

There are many factors that can affect how long your life will be, and one of these lies on your lifestyle. Having a healthy lifestyle, staying physically active, and eating the right foods are ways to live longer. These will help slow the aging process and ward off age-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. (Related: Anti-aging Tips To Help You Become A Strong, Healthy Adult.)

You can start living healthily by eating foods rich in antioxidants. Here are some of them:

• Blueberries: Blueberries are one of the most popular superfoods nowadays. This may be because of the many studies that have proven that the compounds in blueberries inhibit inflammation and oxidative damage, which are linked to age-related problems in memory and motor function.
• Fish: Researchers believe that the reason behind the low rates of heart disease of native Inuits of Alaska 30 years ago was their high consumption of fish, a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. These omega-3 fatty acids help prevent cholesterol buildup in the arteries and prevent abnormal heart rhythms.
• Olive oil: Olive oil, a main component of the Mediterranean diet, contains monosaturated fats that help fight heart disease and cancer. Researchers from the Seven Countries Study discovered that the low rates of heart disease and cancer on the Greek island of Crete were mainly due to the monosaturated fats found in olive oil. Later studies have also found that olive oil contains compounds, such as polyphenols and strong antioxidants, that help fight age-related diseases.
• Yogurt: It is believed that the secret to the long lives of the people in Soviet Georgia during the 1970s was yogurt, a food common in their diets. One of the anti-aging properties of yogurt may be attributed to its calcium content, which helps fight osteoporosis. Yogurt also contains beneficial bacteria that keep the gut healthy and reduce the risk of age-related digestive problems.

Read more news stories and studies on natural ways to age healthily by going to AlternativeMedicine.news

Sources include:

Science.news

EatingWell.com