To investigate the anti-aging effect of caffeoylquinic acid from Erigeron breviscapus (EBCQA),and explore its underlying mechanism of action. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was used as a model to investigate the impact of EBCQA on its lifespan,oxidative and thermal resistance,motility,nuclear translocation of DAF-16,enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD),glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px),catalase (CAT),and malondialdehyde (MDA) content.The aging rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose,and the effects of EBCQA on its learning and memory ability,thymus and spleen coefficients,the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K),Akt/protein kinase B (Akt),phosphp-Akt (p-Akt),forkhead box class O3a (FOXO3a) and phosphp-FOXO3a (p-FOXO3a) in liver,the enzyme activities of SOD,GSH-Px,CAT,and MDA content in liver and serum were assessed.The results showed that EBCQA was able to extend lifespan of wild-type nematodes,enhance oxidative resistance,thermal resistance,and motility,but it has no significant effects on the lifespan of mutant strains of nematode orthologs of PI3K,Akt,and FoxO3a.Furthermore,EBCQA could promote DAF-16 nuclear translocation,elevate the SOD,GSH-Px,CAT activities and decrease MDA levels in a DAF-16 dependent manner.In D-galactose-induced aging rat,the administration of EBCQA notably improved the learning and memory function,increased thymus and spleen coefficients,reduced the protein expression of PI3K,Akt,p-Akt,p-FoxO3a and MDA content,enhanced SOD,GSH-Px,CAT activities.The above results indicate that EBCQA has an anti-aging effect and the mechanism may be attributed to its potential inhibition of PI3K and Akt activation,reduction of FOXO3a phosphorylation,promotion of FOXO3a nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity,enhancement of antioxidant enzyme activity,and inhibition of oxidative stress.
