Crocetin delays brain and body aging by increasing cellular energy levels in aged C57BL/6J mice

Chronic and systemic low oxygen levels in tissue spaces, exacerbated by various aging factors, lead to mitochondrial defects and a low energy state within cells. Since energy is crucial for cellular maintenance and repair mechanisms, any disruption in these processes can accelerate aging. Our data suggests that chronic treatment with trans-crocetin (oxygen diffusion enhancer) improves mitochondrial activity in both cultured primary astrocytes and in a mouse model. Aged mice treated with crocetin for four months exhibited significant anti-aging effects, including improved memory behavior and increased median lifespan. The transcriptomic analysis of hippocampi from crocetin-treated mice revealed that enhanced brain energy level was caused by the upregulation of genes linked to OXPHOS, and their expression was close to the expression in young mice. These findings underscore the potential of trans-crocetin to be further explored as treatments for age-related diseases.