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pp.1-6
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) has been known for having strong anti-oxidant, anti-mutagenic, and anti-carcinogenic activities. The free radical theory of aging, also known as the oxidative stress theory of aging, claims that cellular oxidative damage accumulated with time is a major causal factor of aging. In the present study, we investigated the effect of buckwheat extracts on resistance to oxidative stress and aging using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system. Survival under an oxidative-stress condition induced by paraquat increased markedly following 500mg/L buckwheat extracts treatment, suggesting lower cellular oxidative damage by buckwheat extracts. A lifespan assay also revealed that treatment of buckwheat extracts significantly extended both the mean and maximum lifespan in C. elegans. Interestingly, this lifespan-extension by buckwheat extracts was not accompanied by reduced fertility. These findings suggest that buckwheat extracts can confer longevity phenotype to C. elegans through its strong anti-oxidant activity and support the aging theory which emphasizes a pivotal role of oxidative stress during aging.
