A new drug that it is claimed can reverse aspects of ageing has been trialled in animals.
The team from the Netherlands, claim to have “rejuvenated” old mice to restore their stamina, coat of fur and even some organ function.
The approach works by flushing out senescent cells in the body that have stopped dividing.
The cells accumulate naturally with age and play a role in stopping tumours and healing wounds.
However, they also release chemicals that cause inflammation and have been implicated in ageing.
The team was able to restore liver function in the mice and double the distance they could run in a wheel.
The paper, published in Cell, says: “Therapeutic targeting of senescent cells is feasible under conditions where loss of health has already occurred and in doing so tissue homeostasis can effectively be restored.”
The drug was given three times a week and the experiments have been taking place for nearly a year. Plans for human trails are in the pipeline.
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