Worm Breeder's Gazette 17(2): 45 (April 1, 2002)

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. 24. No positive effect of streptomycin with ascorbic acid

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 streptomycin sulphate in presence of ascorbic acid (concentration 1:104) in water  solutions  on the nematode life span in reproductive period.  In this experiment streptomycin sulphate  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 streptomycin sulphate in medium) every day  (one  worm in one well) beginning from third day. Then,  from 3th to 10th day, these worms were transferred every day  in next wells containing medium with streptomycin sulphate 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 streptomycin sulphate

n

Longevity (days)

Mean±S.E.

Maximal

Control

12

   12.8±1.1

18

1:103

12

   13.7±0.7

21

1:104

12

   14.0±0.6

23

 

 

Conclusion: If streptomycin sulphate solution in presence of ascorbic acid was applied to C. elegans,  it  was not able to increase significantly (P>0.05) 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.