Rapamycin is an immunosuppressive compound that is commonly used to prevent transplant rejections, but its potential as an elixir of youth has also been revealed in recent years; at least , in fruit flies, worms and, above all, laboratory mice, whose life span is extended between 9% and 14% compared to rodents that are not subjected to a treatment with this substance. And in addition, they age in good health, with a lower incidence of cardiovascular disorders and memory impairment.
Now, the scientists who have launched the Dog Aging Project want to repeat the experiment with dogs, as a preliminary step to a future trial with humans. The experts have selected 32 specimens from the North American city of Seattle, all of them of good size – it seems that they age faster than the small ones – and with an age of between six and nine years. A quarter of the dogs will be given a placebo.
Isolated on Easter Island (rapamycin is named for Rapa Nui, the Polynesian name for the island), this therapeutic substance generated by a bacterium can cause side effects, such as increased blood glucose and mouth sores called canker sores. , but the risk is minimal if it is administered in low doses. Those responsible for the project trust that the lives of the dogs, who will live normally with their owners while the experiment is carried out, will last between two and five years.
