Advances in Biological Research 8 (3): 127-130, 2014

ISSN 1992-006
IDOSI Publications, 2014
DOI: 10.5829/idosi.abr.2014.8.3.82412

Aging- Causes and Prevention A Review

Shubham Verma, Nitin Kumar, Rishabha Malviya,
Rupesh Dudhe and Pramod Kumar Sharma
Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences,
Galgotias University, Greater Noida, G. B. Nagar, U.P. India
Abstract: Aging is a process in which continuous failure of maintenance and repair mechanism occurs which
are very important for cellular homeostasis. Antioxidants and growth hormone regulators are used to decrease
the process of longevity or abnormal aging. Protandim and nuclear factor 2 (Nrf2) are used as super antioxidant
to minimise the oxidative stress in the body. Some aging syndromes are also there in which age of person
increases three times of its original age such as progeria. Progeria occurs due to gene changes in the body and
this disease does not have any cure and a person with this disease having a life of only 13-14 years.
Key words: Growth Hormones Insulin Growth Factor-1
Nuclear Factor-2
INTRODUCTION

Protandim

Reactive Oxygen Species

related change that decreases the number of native cells

and accumulation of sensitized cells [4]. Aging is a
concept that includes physical changes to our bodies,
psychological changes to our minds and social attributes
through adult life [5].

Now-a-days everyone wants to look younger and

attractive always, it is not possible to block our age but
you can decrease the process of aging. Aging can also be
recognised by the visual aspects of the body. Most of the
peoples are bothered about one common affair called age.
Aging occurs continuously without our approbation.
Aging is an intricate process characterised by the gradual
failure of maintenance and repair pathways important for
homeostasis of cell which results in progressive accretion
of unwanted macromolecules and organelles. The
accretion of these unwanted macromolecules and
organelles has harmful effects on cellular homeostasis and
cause hindrance with activity of functional molecules
which tends to subsequent dysfunction [1,2].
There are certain changes that are pernicious,
gradual and thus far irrevocable. Aging damage occur to
molecule to cell and to organs. The molecular damage
associated with aging may increasingly perturb normal
homeostasis and increase the susceptibility to disease
and disability.

Symptoms That Transpire with Aging Are Categorised

As:
Physical Aging: There are certain symptoms of Physical
aging which are as follows
Decrease in Physical strength, endurance and
flexibility.
Decline in the body organs.
Slower reflexes.
Decline in the senses.
Psychological Aging: DEMENTIA* is the major symptom
of Psychological aging in which sudden memory and
behavioural changes occurs.
D- Drugs Confusion between the drugs prescribed
by the doctor and the over the counter drugs.
E- Emotions especially depression, have a major
impact on memory but the persons suffering from
DEMENTIA do not complain about their memory
problems.

Symptoms of Aging: Aging changes are frequently

related with an increase in eventuality of mortality, but
this is not necessarily the case i.e., greying of hairs is a
symptom of aging but this does not increase eventuality
of mortality [3]. T cell populations having the most age
Corresponding Author:

Progeria

Shubham Verma, Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences,

Galgotias University, Greater Noida, G. B. Nagar, U.P. India.

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Symptoms of Progeria: Typical symptoms of progeria are

growth insufficiency, wrinkled skin, loss of eye sight, hair
loss, cardiovascular diseases etc. the earliest symptoms
may include a localised scleroderma like skin condition, a
distinctive appearance i.e., small face, pinched nose and
shallow, recessed jaw are all characteristics of progeria
[10].

M- Medical problems, lack of fluid in the body

(dehydration) and lack of oxygen to the brain
(hypoxia) can commonly cause confusion and
disorientation.
E- Eyes, ears and environmental changes also may
affect behavior.
N- Nutritional deficiency
T- Trauma or a head injury from any type of accident,
including a fall or a brain tumor, can cause confusion
and disorientation.
I- Infection, pneumonia or urinary tract infection, a
high fever, or syphilis can cause dementia.
A- Alcoholism, whether a recent or long-standing
problem, can cause temporary confusion and
disorientation or permanent brain damage.

Treatment: There is only a drug which focuses on

reducing complications and i.e., farnesyl tranferase
inhibitor called lanofarnib which is able to improve the
cardiovascular health and increase their weight gain but
there is no treatments have been proven effective to
symptoms of progeria.
Aging Due To Hormonal Change: Growth hormone (GH)
and insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) plays a vital role in
normal growth and development in humans [11]. Normal
release of growth hormone in body is essential for aging
process but excess release of growth hormone and
concomitant increase in circulating IGF-1 levels by GH
producing adenoma causes in abnormal growth i.e., tissue
overgrowth, metabolic abnormalities such as diabetes and
hypertension [12,13].
From this flow chart it is cleared that as growth
hormone increases, insulin growth factor and cellular
senescence also increases due to this anti oxidant enzyme
and insulin sensitivity of the body decreases. Thus these
are the main cause for the aging process of the body [14].

Social Aging: The symptoms of social aging are loss,

Grief and Bereavement [6,7].
The gradual decline in functional ability and muscle
strength is related to normal aging processes [8]. The rate
of aging varies from individual to individual and the age
of different organ system is different in same person.
Causes of Aging:

Intrinsic Aging: This type of aging is caused by the

internal defects in the human body system. Some time
there is some hormonal changes in the body and some
time there is unwanted changes in the genes of human
that will cause aging [9].

Fig. 1: Possible involvement of ROS-induced cellular

senescence in the regulation of lifespan.

Aging Due To Gene: A point mutation in the gene causes

aging syndromes like PROGERIA and WERNERS
SYNDROME. PROGERIA (Hutchinson Gilford progeria
syndrome) is extremely rare genetic disease. The first
symptoms manifest in infants and neonates. Cause of
progeria is identified by a point mutation at position 1824
of lamin A (LMNA) gene.

Extrinsic Aging: This type of aging is mainly caused by

the external environmental conditions. Most commonly
ultraviolet rays are responsible for the extrinsic aging
which results in cell damage and formation of free
radicals.
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Aging Due To Ultra Violet Rays & Photo oxidation: Ultra

violet rays mostly produces free radicals in the body that
sometimes causes aberrant side reactions resulting in cell
damage and thus causes the mutation and affect the
cell cycle
and
causes symptoms of aging like
atherosclerosis.
It may also involve in Parkinsonism disease &
Alzheimer disease. UV commences a number of cellular
responses, including reactive oxygen species (ROS)
production within upper layer of the skin
and
middle layer of the skin i.e., epidermal and dermal cells.
The free radical theory of aging suggests that aging
results from the accretion of the oxidative damage over
time, which persuade to cellular dysfunction and
organism death. The epidermis becomes shrivel compared
to sun protected areas on the same individual. There are
some structural alterations found in the epidermis cell due
to ultraviolet rays which particularly corrode the
biochemical properties of the skin. A cutaneous aging
was found by the comparative studies between photo
exposed and photo protected areas in same individual
[15, 16].

CONCLUSION
As we have reviewed that the aging is the
process of progressive failure of functioning of parts in
the body which is important for cellular haemostasis.
Due to this our appearance also decreases, as we aged
our body functioning decreases. There is one deadly
syndrome of the aging which occurs due to
mutation in 1824 position of LMNA gene, the
syndrome named as PROGERIA. Aging due to photo
oxidation is treated by using antioxidants. Now protandim
is used for the treatment of photo oxidation as a super anti
oxidant and nuclear factor-2 (NrF-2) also used as super
oxidant & it is the master regulator of the bodys aging
process.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Authors are highly thankful to Department of
Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences,
Galgotias University, Greater Noida India for providing
library facility during literature survey.
Conflict of Interest: Authors have no conflict of
interest.

Treatment: Use of the antioxidant is the most successful

treatment. Now-a-days Protandim & nuclear factor 2
(NrF2) are used as super antioxidant. Protandim is
patented dietary supplement that has five herbs with
antioxidant properties and increase bodys natural
antioxidant protection by inducing two protective
enzymes i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD) & catalase
(CAT).

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Composition of Protandim:
Milk thistles (silybum marianum) extract (225mg).
Bacopa (bacopa monniera) extract (150mg).
Aswagandha (withania somnifera) root (150mg).
Green tea (camellia sinensis) extract (75mg).
Turmeric (curcuma longa) extract (75 mg).
Nuclear factor-2 (NrF2) stimulates the Superoxide
dismutase (SOD) and fights oxidative stress and help to
regulate at peak efficiency.
Nuclear factor-2 (NrF2) is the protein messenger that
binds itself to the DNA. It is the master regulator of the
bodys aging process and fight against oxidative stress.
It communes with the cells & instructing them to do what
they were design to do.
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