Description:

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) have created a medication that prolongs the lifespan of tissues while preventing damage and degeneration to human cells.

The research that led to the identification of a collection of chemicals that allows for the repair of ageing cells is what led to the breakthrough.

Professors Einav Gross and Shmuel Ben-Sasson of the HUJI"s college of medicine carried out the research, which was then published in the journal Autophagy.

The scientists successfully proved that the chemicals can shield creatures and human cells from injury and stop degeneration by analysing the effects of various therapies on human longevity and quality of life.

The "power plants" of the cell, mitochondria, are in charge of producing energy, according to Prof. Gross. They are comparable to tiny electric batteries that support healthy cell operation. Our cells have a clever mechanism that eliminates damaged mitochondria and replaces them with new ones, despite the fact that these "batteries" constantly degrade.

Age impedes this system, which causes tissue activity to deteriorate and cells to malfunction. As a result, an increasing number of age-related disorders, including Alzheimer"s, Parkinson"s, cardiac arrest, and sarcopenia, are developed (loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength).

The research resulted in the creation of substances with the potential to both prevent and treat fatal diseases. It also demonstrated that ingesting the chemicals is safe.

Prof. Ben-Sasson continued, "We anticipate being able to greatly postpone the onset of many age-related diseases and enhance people"s quality of life in the future."

The CEO of HUJI"s technology transfer company, Yissum, Itzik Goldwaser, stated that "Ben-Sasson and Gross"s discoveries have enormous relevance for the global ageing population."

The research team established Vitalunga, a startup that is currently developing this medication in conjunction with Yissum, to further the important study and turn it into a medical treatment.

The intolerable cost that age-related diseases like Alzheimer"s and Parkinson"s have on people, their families, and our healthcare systems is something that Goldwaser continued, "As Vitalunga moves closer to pre-clinical research, they"re closer than ever to minimising.