Worm Breeder's Gazette 16(4): 36 (October 1, 2000)

These abstracts should not be cited in bibliographies. Material contained herein should be treated as personal communication and should be cited as such only with the consent of the author.

AN ATTEMPT TO SLOW AGING IN C. elegans.16. A POSITIVE EFFECT OF BENZYLPENICILLIN

Vladimir V. Bakaev1,2

1 Box 45, Novosibirsk, 630107, Russia
2 E-mail: bakaev@online.nsk.su

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different concentrations of benzylpenicillin in water solutions on nematode life span. In this experiment benzylpenicillin was used in following dilutions: 1:101,1:102,1:103,1:104,1:105,1:106 and 1:107. Three adult animals (3 - 5 days old) were kept in microtitre wells containing 0,75 ml of liquid medium (with E. coli and without benzylpenicillin) during 4 hours, then they were discarded and newborn larvae were transferred in next wells (with benzylpenicillin in any concentration) every day (one worm in one well) beginning from third day. This investigation was carried out in temperature +210C and in the darkness.

The obtained results are presented in the following table.

Concentration of benzyl-penicillin

n

Longevity (days)

Mean± S.E.

maximal

Control

12

13,75± 1,19

21

1:101

12

8,00± 0,12

9

1:102

12

15,83± 1,81

28

1:103

12

17,17± 2,13

28

1:104

12

20,83± 1,67

30

1:105

12

16,67± 1,85

29

1:106

12

16,25± 1,61

24

1:107

12

16,75± 1,49

24

 

Conclusion: If benzylpenicillin solution was applied to C. elegans in concentration 1:104, it was able to increase their mean as well as maximal longevity in comparison with control (P<0,01).

Acknowledgment: The author wishes to express his thanks to CGC for providing C. elegans (Bristol, N2) and E. coli OP50.