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The Anti-Aging Effects of Pine Pollen

Paper Title: Experimental Study On the Anti-Aging Effects of Pine Pollen. Lixin Zhao (2004). Modern Medical Journal.

Objective

The aim of this study is to assess the anti-aging effects of Pine Pollen.

Methodology and Design

Researchers fed mice animal feeds containing Pine Pollen for 30 days and then analyzed the activities of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Per), as well as the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the brain. They also evaluated levels of lipofuscin (Lf) in the brain and liver, weighed the thymus gland and spleen, and measured the immune-macrophage function.

Results

The results indicate that Pine Pollen positively effected the activity of serum SOD, CAT, and GSH-Per enzymes. Additionally, it reduced the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the brain and lipofuscin (Lf) in the brain and liver. Furthermore, Pine Pollen increased the weight of the thymus gland and spleen and enhances immune-macrophage function. These outcomes reinforce the anti-aging properties of Pine Pollen.

Impact of Pine Pollen on Serum SOD, CAT, GSH-Per Active in Mice (n=10, x̄±s)
Group SOD / (mU*l-1) CAT / (u*ml-1) GSH-Per / (u*ml-1)
Young Control Group 39.68 ± 4.87 8.2 ± 2.0 240.6 ± 29.4
Aging Control Group 15.27 ± 3.11 4.4 +1.7 134.7 ± 21.7
Pine Pollen (2% Fed Group) 37.98 ±5.38 7.6 ±1.8 228.4 ± 24.6
Pine Pollen (5% Fed Group) 44.35 ± 6.08 8.0 ± 2.7 3.5%

Impact of Pine Pollen on Mice Brain and Liver Content of MDA and Lf (n=10, x̄±s)
Group Brain Tissue Liver Tissue
MDA / (nmol*g) Lf / (μg) Lf / (μg)
Young Control Group 2.47 ± 0.55 2.61 ± 0.61 9.57 ± 1.74
Aging Control Group 3.24 ± 0.62 4.24 ± 0.87 16.87 ± 2.90
Pine Pollen (2% Fed Group) 2.08 ± 0.40 2.91 ± 0.68 11.26 ±1.69
Pine Pollen (5% Fed Group) 1.67 ± 0.38 2.57 ± 0.53 8.40 ± 1.32

Impact of Pine Pollen on Immune Organ Mass (n=10, x̄±s)
Group Thymus (mg/100mg) Spleen (mg/100mg)
Young Control Group 26.54 ± 6.34 59.61 ± 11.94
Aging Control Group 17.86 ± 3.61 40.82 ±7.54
Pine Pollen (2% Fed Group) 24.06 ± 4.97 61.22 ± 12.67
Pine Pollen (5% Fed Group) 30.91 ± 5.77 72.16 ±13.76

Impact of Pine Pollen on Reticuloendothelial System (n=10, x̄±s)
Group Phagocytic Index Phagocytic Activity
Young Control Group 0.0346 ± 0.0147 8.9617 ± 2.7643
Aging Control Group 0.0162 ± 0.0087 5.2496 ±1.3465
Pine Pollen (2% Fed Group) 0.0429 ± 0.0210 10.5429 ± 1.8612
Pine Pollen (5% Fed Group) 0.0573 ± 0.0255 13.6487 ± 2.7436

The Free Radical Theory of Aging

The causes and process of aging in the human body are not completely understood. However, one of the main theories is the free radical theory of aging. According to this theory, free radicals produced by the body during normal metabolism can be eliminated under normal circumstances. But as people age, the body's natural antioxidants such as CAT, SOD, and GSH-Per decrease in activity.

The body's decrease in producing antioxidants combined with an overall increase in the free radical metabolite MDA. MDA converts into inactive Lf with phosphatidyl ethanolamine and protein in the human body. This accumulation in tissues and cells reduces RNA, damages cell structure, and results in aging cell death. The cells are no longer able to mitigate their own metabolism and the free radicals produced by normal cell metabolism.

Thus, enhancing the performance of antioxidants and shielding the body from free radical damage has a favorable impact on retarding the aging process.

The Antioxidant Capacity of Pine Pollen

Pharmacological experiments have shown that Pine Pollen contains a variety of antioxidant substances, including vitamin E, beta-carotene, and the microelement selenium. These substances can inhibit the oxidizing reaction of fat and protein in the body, which has an anti-aging effect. Consumption of Pine Pollen can also promote the activity, count, and capacity to clear free radicals. Furthermore, Pine Pollen has the ability to clear age-related pigment accumulated on the skin, brain, heart, liver, and other organs, inhibit aging processes, and improve immunocompetence.

Pine Pollen can significantly enhance the T-cell changes of D-galactose aging in mice models. This leads to improved immunity and longer lifetimes of aging mice.

Conclusion and Significance

This experiment demonstrates that Pine Pollen can improve the body's antioxidant ability by increasing the activities of serum SOD, CAT, and GSH-Per. As a result, it can eliminate free radicals produced during the aging process and increase the weight of immune organs, which indicates a clear anti-aging effect.