Limonene Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Extends Longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans

In traditional systems of medicine, plants belonging to the family Rutaceae have been used against ageing and associated debilitating changes. Considering the therapeutic potential of limonene (C₁₀H₁₆), the principal component of the Rutaceae family plants, the present study was designed to decipher lifespan and stress-modulating potential of monocyclic terpene limonene (LM) employing genetically tractable model system Caenorhabditis elegans. Furthermore, we tested oxidative stress tolerance and in vivo reactive oxygen species build-up, which was monitored with or without exposure to LM. Additionally, involvement of transcription factor DAF-16 was examined in terms of nuclear localization. Overall, this study has implications for developing future anti-ageing pharmacological strategies in the future.