Peptides of pineal gland and thymus prolong human life

• Published in: Neuro-endocrinology letters Vol. 24; no. 3-4; p. 233
• Main Authors: Khavinson, Vladimir Kh, Morozov, Vyacheslav G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden 01.06.2003
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging - pathology; Endocrine Glands - drug effects; Endocrine Glands - physiology; Female; Health Status Indicators; Humans; Immunity - drug effects; Male; Metabolism - drug effects; Mortality; Peptides - pharmacology; Pineal Gland - chemistry; Pineal Gland - metabolism; Respiratory Tract Diseases - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Diseases - mortality; Thymus Gland - chemistry; Thymus Gland - metabolism; Thymus Hormones - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0172-780X

Researchers of the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology of the North-Western Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and the Institute of Gerontology of the Ukrainian Academy of Medical Sciences (Kiev) clinically assessed the geroprotective effects of thymic (Thymalin) and pineal (Epithalamin) peptide bioregulators in 266 elderly and older persons during 6-8 years. The bioregulators were applied for the first 2-3 years of observation. The obtained results convincingly showed the ability of the bioregulators to normalize the basic functions of the human organism, i.e. to improve the indices of cardiovascular, endocrine, immune and nervous systems, homeostasis and metabolism. Homeostasis restoration was accompanied by a 2.0-2.4-fold decrease in acute respiratory disease incidence, reduced incidence of the clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease, hypertension disease, deforming osteoarthrosis and osteoporosis as compared to the control. Such a significant improvement in the health state of the peptide-treated patients correlated with decreased mortality rate during observation: 2.0-2.1-fold in the Thymalin-treated group; 1.6-1.8-fold in the Epithalamin-treated group; 2.5-fold in the patients treated with Thymalin plus Epithalamin as compared to the control. A separate group of patients was treated with Thymalin in combination with Epithalamin annually for 6 years and their mortality rate decreased 4.1 times as compared to the control. The obtained data confirmed the high geroprotective efficacy of Thymalin and Epithalamin and the expediency of their application in medicine and social care for health maintenance and age-related pathology prevention in persons over 60 to prolong their active longevity.