An aqueous polyphenol extract from Rosa rugosa tea has antiaging effects on Caenorhabditis elegans

Rosa rugosa aqueous polyphenol (RAP) is a kind of polyphenol from Rosa rugosa flower tea. In this study, the antiaging activities of RAP were studied in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. UHPLC-HESI-MS/MS was employed to identify the specific phenolic profile, revealing that there were 23 types of phenolic compounds in RAP and that quercetin glycoside was the principal component. RAP increased the mean lifespan of C. elegans and enhanced the thermotolerance and resistance to oxidative stress of C. elegans in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, RAP showed powerful antioxidant effects in vitro and strong protection against oxidative DNA damage. RAP significantly improved the levels of total superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity of C. elegans. In conclusion, RAP has antiaging effects on C. elegans, which might be related to its powerful antioxidant effects both in vitro and in vivo. Practical applications In recent years, chronic diseases associated with aging have had a profound impact on quality of life. Many healthy foods have antiaging properties, especially flower teas, such as those made from Rosa rugosa. Our results indicated that Rosa rugosa tea is good for health and that RAP could potentially be developed as a bioactive product that could be used to combat aging.