What is Rapamycin
One of the most intriguing things is the has arisen over the last several years is lifespan extending potential of a substance known as Rapamycin. Rapamycin is chemotherapy agent, that when used properly, has been shown to extend the life span of Yeast, flies, worms , mice, and dogs. No substance in the history of mankind has shown an ability to extend any mammalian life span by almost 25%across the board.
Not only does Rapamycin extend lifespan in mammalian cells, but it may have a significant role in prevention of chronic disease. By inhibiting the mTOR, it appears to play a crucial role in the prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and possibly stroke One other significant role is it maybe the best option for ApoE4 carriers for prevention of Alzheimer’s. This is a real game changer for those who are left with very few effective options to combat this real problem of AD related neurodegeneration.
A History of Rapamycin
Rapamycin was discovered on Easter Island (Rapa Nui) by Dr. Suren Seghal of McGill University in 1972. The local barefoot population were resistant to the tetanus bacteria in the soilHe discovered that the bacteria that had an antifungal property. Further research showed not only anti-fungal properties but anti-neoplastic activities as well (Seghal’s story is interesting. His last words before death, were even more interesting).
There was a tepid amount of excitement, and in the next few decades it was turned into chemotherapy agent. Rapamune was founded.
However much with other aspects in medicine, the exact mechanism of Rapamycin was elusive. This changed in 1991, when Dr. Michael Hall’s team at the at the University of Basel in Switzerland discovered a protein that regulates cell growth, size and division. His group discovered that the protein could be inhibited by Rapamycin. The creative name of TOR was given to this complex of proteins (Target Of Rapamycin). TOR was found in all cells and was found in all cells, and found to be a central point in cell growth and maturation. He also discovered that feeding this complex, made it grow it and made the cells grow larger and older, faster. Rapamycin was found to inhibit this complex. Since maturation could be controlled, aging could be controlled. Not only that, Hall theorized that it could be used to delay the onset of chronic disease and cancer. Today, it’s a big target of on going research.