Possible side effects include a longer lifespan.
Researchers from Harvard Medicine, the University of Liverpool, and ETH Zürich have discovered that rilmenidine, a medicine routinely used to treat hypertension (or high blood pressure), slows the aging process and increases lifespan.
“With a worldwide population that is aging, the benefits of delaying aging, even little, are enormous. Repurposing medications capable of prolonging longevity and healthspan has enormous unrealized promise in translational geroscience, according to the study’s principal investigator, Joo Pedro Magalhes.
According to the findings, a low-calorie diet was determined to be the most effective anti-aging approach across multiple species. In people, however, outcomes have been inconsistent, and adverse effects are possible. Participating scientists were thrilled about the possible role of rilmenidine in simplifying the process.
“For the first time, we have demonstrated that rilmenidine can extend the lifespan of animals,” Magalhes added. We are eager to investigate whether rilmenidine has additional clinical applications.
The research, which was published in “Aging Cell,” was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, LongeCity, and the Biotechnology and Biological Research Council.
»Rilmenidine, a common blood pressure medication, may help retard aging«