A promising anti-aging compound found around the statues of Easter Island continues to impress scientists, notes Metro.
Called rapamycin, it is a naturally occurring by-product of bacteria from this area.
According to an article published in Chemical and Engineering News, a soil sample containing the substance was first collected by a team of researchers in 1964.
Eventually, scientists discovered that rapamycin could fight fungus, act as an immunosuppressant and prevent cells from dividing.
It has also been shown to increase the longevity of a variety of animals including fruit flies, yeast, and a species of worm; this enhanced lifespan has been attributed to the suppression of a protein called mTOR.
A separate study on mice showed that males and females treated with rapamycin lived 9 percent and 14 percent longer, respectively, compared to the control group.
Despite promising results related to anti-aging, scientists caution that there may be unknown adverse long-term effects, notes the Daily Mail.
Called rapamycin, it is a naturally occurring by-product of bacteria from this area.
According to an article published in Chemical and Engineering News, a soil sample containing the substance was first collected by a team of researchers in 1964.
Eventually, scientists discovered that rapamycin could fight fungus, act as an immunosuppressant and prevent cells from dividing.
It has also been shown to increase the longevity of a variety of animals including fruit flies, yeast, and a species of worm; this enhanced lifespan has been attributed to the suppression of a protein called mTOR.
A separate study on mice showed that males and females treated with rapamycin lived 9 percent and 14 percent longer, respectively, compared to the control group.
Despite promising results related to anti-aging, scientists caution that there may be unknown adverse long-term effects, notes the Daily Mail.