Vita gazette – Researchers have suggested that a substance derived from compounds found in pig blood can reverse the age of rats. If these findings can be translated to humans, it could mean a reversion of an 80-year-old individual to the biological age of just 26.

The study, recently published in the journal GeroScience, has revealed that a new therapeutic, developed from compounds found in pig’s blood, can potentially reverse the ageing process. Scientists have named this anti-ageing therapeutic “E5” and believe it can turn back the biological clocks of ageing rats by 70%, on average. The therapeutic, consisting of complex nanoparticles and young plasma sourced from pigs, displayed remarkable results. If these findings can be translated to humans, it could mean a reversion of an 80-year-old individual to the biological age of just 26.

The researchers discovered that the pig blood treatment not only reversed the biological age of the rats but also had a rejuvenating effect on various tissues, including blood, the heart, the liver, and the brain’s hypothalamus. This rejuvenation resulted in improved functioning of these organs, as well as behavioural and cognitive improvements.

Study co-author Steve Horvath expressed his astonishment at the profound effects of E5, stating, “Initially, I could hardly believe the profound epigenetic rejuvenation effects of E5. However, our findings are robustly supported by parallel rodent studies from different labs.”

While the possibility of translating these findings to humans is yet to be determined, the results offer optimism for potential anti-ageing treatments in the future. However, scientists caution that age markers observed in rats may not directly correlate with those in humans.

One reason rejuvenation treatments only sometimes effectively transition from rodents to humans is the significant differences in age markers between the two species. What may have a rejuvenating effect on rodents may not have the same impact on humans due to unique biological mechanisms.

The study was conducted by researchers, including those from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and several authors are affiliated with the biotech firm Yuvan Research Inc., which focuses on developing rejuvenation treatments.