Abstract

Despite the long historical use of polyherbal combinations in traditional medicine, these remedies have only recently gained attention. The purpose of the present study was to explore the antioxidant capacity of traditional tonifying remedies and to examine their effect on the longevity and oxidative stress resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans. Twenty herbal mixture extracts were made as either infusions or decoctions and tested by six different free-radical scavenging techniques. The selected formula, Phy-Blica-O (THP-R016), was used to examine the longevity of C. elegans. The antioxidant-related chemical markers were qualified by HPLCESI-MS. Among the tested extracts, Phy-Blica-O possessed remarkable free-radical scavenging activity, with IC<inf>50</inf> values of 0.13, 0.2, and 0.07 mg/mL against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical, and the superoxide anion, respectively, and it had a peroxyl scavenging effect, with an ORAC value of 35.41 µM TE per gram of extract. Phy-Blica-O had the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents of 651.2 GAE mg/g and 79.4 CAE mg/g, respectively. Phy-Blica-O significantly extended the lifespan of C. elegans under normal growth conditions. It could be attributed to a minor increase in catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, as well as a decrease in lipofuscin and protein carbonyl levels in C. elegans. These results demonstrated the promising antioxidant capacities found in Phy-Blica-O that are partly involved in the longevity of C. elegans. Further analysis of PhyBlica-O is required to gain insights into the lifespan-extending agents, thereby developing novel, traditional phytochemical interventions for age-related symptoms.