Plant-based strategies against aging: Focus on bioactive compounds from medicine-food homology plants

Yun-Fei Zhu; An-Guo Wu; Meng-Yi Chen; Xing-Yue Zhou; Fei-Hong Huang; Long Wang; Lu Yu; Yong-Ping Wen; Da-Lian Qin; Jian-Ming Wu; Xiao-Gang Zhou

doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2025.157052

Plant-based strategies against aging: Focus on bioactive compounds from medicine-food homology plants

Phytomedicine. 2025 Jul 5:145:157052. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2025.157052. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
² College of Food and Bioengineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610106, China.
³ Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China. Electronic address: jianmingwu@swmu.edu.cn.
⁴ Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China. Electronic address: zxg@swmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 40652800
DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2025.157052

Abstract

Background: As a biologically intricate process, aging entails functional impairment and predisposes individuals to chronic conditions. Medicine-food homology (MFH) plants, deeply rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, are increasingly recognized for their potential to delay aging through natural bioactive compounds.

Study design: We conducted a comprehensive review of 56 MFH plants with documented anti-aging effects, focusing on 83 identified bioactive compounds grouped into 14 chemical categories, including phenols, polysaccharides, glycosides, and proteins.

Methods: Relevant studies were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar up to December 2024. Keywords included "aging," "anti-aging," "cellular senescence," and the Latin names of MFH plants (e.g., Astragalus membranaceus, Curcuma longa). Inclusion criteria required experimental evidence of anti-aging activity using markers such as ROS, MDA, SA-β-gal, SOD, p16^INK4a, and p21^Waf1/Cip1 across organisms ranging from yeast to mammals and in vitro systems were considered. Key signaling pathways involved were also analyzed.

Results: Of the 156 MFH plants screened, 78 showed anti-aging potential, with 56 containing partially characterized active compounds. Phenols were the most prevalent, followed by polysaccharides and glycosides. These compounds primarily exerted effects by modulating oxidative stress and activating signaling pathways such as MAPK and DAF-16/FOXO. Less common constituents, such as carrier oils and naphthalene derivatives, also demonstrated notable efficacy. Clinical evidence supports the beneficial effects of certain MFH-derived compounds-such as curcumin and piperine-on skin aging, cognitive decline, and cardiovascular health.

Conclusions: MFH plants offer a promising source of natural anti-aging agents. Their bioactive compounds target multiple aging-related pathways and show potential for development into functional foods or phytotherapeutics. To support their potential in aging-related therapies, it is imperative to conduct more in-depth mechanistic investigations alongside well-designed clinical trials that can substantiate their effectiveness and facilitate their translational application.

Keywords: Anti-aging activity; Bioactive phytochemicals; Clinical studies; MAPK and DAF-16/FOXO pathways; Medicine food homology plants.