An enriched polyphenolic extract obtained from the by-product of Rosa damascena hydrodistillation activates antioxidant and proteostatic modules

Phytomedicine. 2021 Dec;93:153757. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153757. Epub 2021 Sep 15.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Prolonged maintenance of proteome stability and functionality (proteostasis) is of emerging significance in aging retardation and healthspan.

PURPOSE: An enriched polyphenolic extract obtained from the hydrodistillation of rose petals was tested for its capacity to activate the proteostasis network modules, and thus modulate health- and/or lifespan at the cellular and whole organism level.

METHODS: The aqueous extract that remained after the hydrodistillation of Rosa damascena petals, was processed with a polystyrene-FPX66 adsorption resin and sequentially fractionated by FCPC. NMR and UHPLC-HRMS analyses revealed the presence of 28 metabolites, mainly glycosides of kaempferol and quercetin.

RESULTS: The extract showed high in vitro antioxidant activity and was not toxic in normal human skin fibroblasts, while it promoted the upregulation of NRF2-induced antioxidant genes and main proteostatic modules. Consistently, supplementation of this extract in Drosophila flies’ culture medium induced a cncC/NRF2-mediated upregulation of antioxidant and proteostatic modules. Prolonged administration of the extract in flies’ culture medium was not toxic and did not affect food intake rate or fecundity; also, it delayed the age-related decline of stress tolerance and locomotion performance (neuromuscular functionality) and dose-dependently extended flies’ lifespan.

CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that the enriched polyphenolic extract obtained from the residue of R. damascena hydrodistillation activates cytoprotective cellular modules that, likely, contribute to its potential anti-aging properties.

PMID:34619431 | DOI:10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153757