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Planta Med 2024; 90(07/08): 576-587
DOI: 10.1055/a-2254-0131
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers

Application of 3Rs in Caenorhabditis elegans Research for the Identification of Health-Promoting Natural Products[ # ]

Martina Redl
1   Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
2   Vienna Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical, Nutritional, and Sport Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
,
Anusha Shayegan
1   Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
,
Judith M. Rollinger 
1   Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
› Author AffiliationsSupported by: Schwabe Phyto Innovation Challenge by Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co.KG Schwabe Phyto Innovation Challenge 2022
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Abstract

The average age of the population is increasing worldwide, which has a profound impact on our society. This leads to an increasing demand for medicines and requires the development of new strategies to promote health during the additional years. In the search for resources and therapeutics for improved health during an extended life span, attention has to be paid to environmental exposure and ecosystem burdens that inevitably emerge with the extended consumption of medicines and drug development, even in the preclinical stage. The hereby introduced sustainable strategy for drug discovery is built on 3Rs, “Robustness, Reliability, and saving Resources”, inspired by both the 3Rs used in animal experiments and environmental protection, and centers on the usefulness and the variety of the small model organism Caenorhabditis elegans for detecting health-promoting natural products. A workflow encompassing a multilevel screening approach is presented to maximize the amount of information on health-promoting samples, while considering the 3Rs. A detailed, methodology- and praxis-oriented compilation and discussion of proposed C. elegans health span assays and more disease-specific assays are presented to offer guidance for scientists intending to work with C. elegans, thus facilitating the initial steps towards the integration of C. elegans assays in their laboratories.

Keywords

healthy ageing - Caenorhabditis elegans - natural product screening - sustainability - Apiaceae

# This work is dedicated to Professors Rudolf Bauer, Chlodwig Franz, Brigitte Kopp, and Hermann Stuppner for their invaluable contributions and commitment to Austrian Pharmacognosy.


Supporting Information

    A phytochemical characterization using LC-MS/MS analysis is available as Supporting Information.

  • Supporting Information


Publication History

Received: 01 October 2023

Accepted after revision: 18 January 2024

Article published online:
06 June 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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