Worm Breeder's Gazette 17(1): 66 (October 1, 2001)

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. No positive effect of ascorbic acid in postreproductive period

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 ascorbic acid in water solutions on the nematode life span in postreproductive period. In this experiment ascorbic acid 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 0,5 ml of liquid medium (with E. coli and without ascorbic acid) during 4 hours, then they were discarded and newborn larvae were transferred in next wells (without ascorbic acid in medium) every day (one worm in one well) beginning from third day. Then, beginning from 10th day, these worms were transferred every day in next wells containing medium with ascorbic acid in any concentration. This investigation was carried out in temperature +21°C and in the darkness.

The obtained results are presented in the following table.

 

Concentration of ascorbic acid

n

Longevity (days)

Mean±S.E.

Maximal

Control

12

19,9±1,0

24

1:101

12

toxic

1:102

12

9,1±0,1

10

1:103

12

14,5±0,7

22

1:104

12

14,0±0,5

22

1:105

12

16,1±0,9

26

1:106

12

18,2±1,1

31

1:107

12

16,3±0,7

22

 

 

Conclusion: If ascorbic acid solution was applied to C. elegans in postreproductive period, it was not able to increase their mean longevity in comparison with control.

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