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Volume 7, Issue 4 (Suppl)
Clin Exp Pharmacol
ISSN: 2161-1459 CPECR, an open access journal
Pharmacology Congress 2017
July 24-25, 2017
July 24-25, 2017 Melbourne, Australia
8
th
World Congress on
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Anti-aging drugs: where do we stand and where are we going?
Vaiserman A M
Institute of Gerontology, Ukraine
T
aking into account the extraordinary complexity of mechanistic pathways underlying aging process, the recognition of
these pathways and development of anti-aging interventions seems a challenging task. Significant progress, however,
has been achieved in this research field during the past years. Efforts to increase healthspan through pharmacological
agents and supplements targeting aging-related pathological changes are now in the spotlight of geroscience. The attempts
to increase healthspan are currently focused on slowing the basic biological processes of aging such as cellular senescence,
mitochondrial dysfunction, age-related decline of stress resistance, dysregulated cellular energy sensing/growth pathways,
impaired proteostasis, deteriorated stem cell function/bioavailability, as well as inflammation/oxidative stress. A number of
pharmacological agents targeting basic aging pathways to extend lifespan and healthspan (i.e., antioxidants, calorie restriction
mimetics, autophagy inductors, etc.) are currently under investigation. Experimental studies have showed that extension of
life span is usually accompanied by delayed or reduced morbidity including cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration and
tumors. Another way for anti-aging drug discovery is evaluating the pharmacological agents already approved by the FDA and
other regulatory agencies for the treatment of particular conditions associated with aging, such as beta-blockers, metformin,
statins, as well as anti-inflammatory medications. Supplementation with substances having anti-aging properties can, however,
resulted in some cases in unfavorable effects as well. For example, in meta-analyses of observational studies and randomized
controlled trials conducted in well-nourished and healthy populations, long-term antioxidant supplementation has been shown
to be occasionally associated with undesirable consequences for the health and all-cause mortality. In a modern pharmacy,
anti-aging is likely one of the most promising markets because the target group can potentially include each person. Current
marketing research indicates that most people are willing to pay for long-term pharmacological therapy to prevent or delay the
aging-related decline in physical and mental functions. Optimistic predictions of the feasibility of health- and life-extending
interventions, however, should certainly be critically discussed in the light of their ethical, economic and social implications.
Only after in-depth examination and following comprehensive debates, the implementation of such approaches in clinical
practice will be possible.
vaiserman@geront.kiev.uaClin Exp Pharmacol 2017, 7:4 (Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/2161-1459-C1-020