Nigeria: Chinese Plant Astragalus May Hold Key to Longevity

18 November 2008

TAT2 - a drug extracted from Astragalus membranaceus a plant used in Chinese medicine is helping immune cells fight HIV and is also raising the possibility of slowing the ageing process in other parts of the human body.

A report in The Journal of Immunology says excitement about the plant hinges upon telomeres which are caps of repetitive DNA found at the ends of chromosomes. These get shorter as cells age and are thought to affect the cell's lifespan.

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