An anti-aging drug made from herbal medicines and antioxidant products has recently been developed to achieve the "prolongation of a healthy life span", according to proponents of the drug. The drug is not yet commercially available because it is still undergoing medical trials. Advanced by an anti-aging project co-sponsored by the University of Science and Technology and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, the drug has attracted much publicity.
The main researcher of the anti-aging project, Dr. Robert K. M. Ko, said the project is grounded on a theory of aging called the "free radical of aging".
"In brief, the theory says that the oxygen we breathe in generates free radicals which oxidize and damage the proteins and other molecules in the body. Such oxidative damage to cells and tissues is irreversible, and it results in age-related diseases and subsequent death," he said.
Another premise is genetic programmed theory, which suggests that aging is a pre-programmed process that is carried out according to a schedule. "The increasing oxidative stress resulting from more and more free radicals will influence the genetic program," explained Dr. Ko. In other words, when people get older, their antioxidant defense mechanisms also decline. Age-related diseases then occur. For instance, recent studies reveal that over 50 percent of the aging diseases or common disorders during aging, such as strokes, cancers and heart diseases are related to free radicals, said Dr. Ko. In light of this, researchers in the anti-aging project have chosen certain Chinese drugs that have antioxidant properties for making anti- aging treatments.
Though the project is a breakthrough in local medical research, some scientists question the necessity and the reliability of such drugs. Among them is Dr. David S.C. Tsang, a biochemistry lecturer from The Chinese University. "First, the free radical theory alone is not sufficient to explain aging. It is only a part of the story. Besides, free radicals can easily be removed by some foods. For example, I can simply buy a bottle of Vitamin C or Vitamin E pills, which carry antioxidants as active ingredients. I doubt the values of these drugs," said Dr. Tsang.
Dr. Ko, however, holds that the herbal medicine-based drugs are different: "The Chinese herb is body- oriented rather than disease-oriented. It emphasises the preventive properties of the body's immune system. Vitamin pills can remove the free radicals, but the anti-aging Chinese medicinal may enhance the endogenous antioxidant defense mechanisms."
Even so, people should refrain from having any impractical fantasies about the drugs. "Aging is a natural and unavoidable process of humans. These so-called `anti-aging' drugs can only delay the aging process, rather than get rid of it altogether. They are not a magic medicine for prolonging the lives of the terminally ill; nor are they possible cures that retard age-related debility," said Dr. Ko.
Another criticism against the ongoing project is that it focuses only on free radicals and omits other possible causes of aging. "Death is an outcome of aging, but it is not necessarily caused by aging. By the same token, free radicals are one of the causes of aging but not the only one," said Dr. Tsao Wung Wai, chairperson of the Hong Kong Association for the Popularization of Science and Technology.
"If the explanation of genetic programmed theory is true, no medicine will work unless you change the program. Using chemical means to alter the predetermined programme may be a possible way, but there is more than one possible cause to aging, like poisonous molecules, accumulated fats and pollutants in the body," he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Tsao thinks that it is difficult to verify the effectiveness of these anti-aging drugs, as they deal with only one of the many variables that effect aging. "It will take a long time to verify their effectiveness. Statistics should be provided to support the hypothesis. Experiments on mice alone are not enough to prove its success. "Anyhow, it is an attractive idea and may be of great local importance," said Dr. Tsao.
Dr. Ko admits that the project does only focus on free radicals. Yet he nevertheless stresses the significance of the project. "Apart from physiological factors, psychological factors also contribute to the aging problem. But we must admit that free radicals are greatly related to a lot of fatal diseases. So we just pinpoint this fact and work on it," said Dr. Ko.
According to him, many age-related diseases would be avoided if over 70 percent of the total population took the drugs. It is also hoped that the drugs could accelerate the recovery of patients. "If health management to prevent the onset of aging and reduce age-related debility is really successful, human age will get closer to the maximum threshold, that is, about 120 years," said Dr. Ko.
However, whether the prolongation of life span is beneficial to society is a matter of controversy. Dr. Ko is optimistic in this regard. "The prevention of aging is a progress in the quality of life. It will reduce medical costs on the whole. Longer life expectancy would permit individuals to strive for higher ideals. With longer life expectancy, the government could set a higher average retiring age. The extra productivity provided by the elderly would be beneficial to society," he said.
Others are less confident. One concern is that a lengthened average life span may add to the social burden of an increasingly aged population. In fact, Hong Kong has the second highest life expectancy in the world about 78 years on average.
Miss Lee Ching Kwun, a sociology lecturer at The Chinese University, argues that drugs would not necessarily improve the quality of life. "Better quality of life is not just a prolongation of the numbers. It is painful when we have to live longer in a society where there is inequality and injustice," she said.
As for Dr. Cheung Yuet Wah, a medical sociologist at The Chinese University, the worry is that people in the lower classes would be discriminated against "If the average quality of life in society doesn't change, longer life expectancy would make the elderly in the lower classes suffer, as they are not provided with adequate economic and social support," said she.
Amid these criticisms, the anti-aging project has now gone through its initial stage. Researchers are now carrying out experiments to verify the effectiveness and safety of the drugs, trials before the drugs can be made available for sale.
"Ever since I was young, I have never had to do backbreaking work. I have never used hot water to wash my face. So you see my smooth face?" asked Mr. Chan Hon Sun of Tai Po, a retired photographer.
In fact, Mr. Chan's longevity is no fluke. He embarked on his own "anti-aging" project many years ago. Since the age of 40, he has regularly eaten soups made from the nerves of pigs' and oxen's legs. He said this has enabled him to walk without a cane in spite of his age.
Apart from this diet, Mr. Chan said exercise is part of his regimen as well. "I have been doing exercise every morning since I was 40. I wake up at 4 in the morning. The air is so much fresher. There are totally 18 sets of exercises that I usually practise. All of them need 'power' that is totally different from the `slow' exercises that other old people practise," said Mr. Chan.
Besides, he has planted 100 pots of flowers on the balcony of his home in Tai Po because he thinks that the oxygen that the plants give off in daylight is one of the secrets of his long life. "My bird has lived for seven years, and I think the plants must be a factor to that," Mr. Chan said proudly.
But in addition to these factors, he believes strongly in the salutary effects of inner peace. "Peace is the most precious thing, so I never get angry at any time. Sometimes, I'd rather lose a disagreement and let others be better off. Peace and happiness are the essence of good health," said Mr. Chan.
Mr. Chan is well-known locally not only for his longevity, but also for his photography. He had a long career, not retiring until he was 80. His professionalism as a photographer, and his good relations with others, were the motto of his business. Even in retirement, Mr. Chan is well liked by neighbours. "Maybe the doctors and the herbalists were the only ones who did not welcome me," said Mr. Chan, laughing.
Mr. Chan has 10 sons and daughters. Some of them have emigrated to other countries. He now lives with his fifth son in Tai Po. Mr. Chan said economic support from his sons and daughters contributes a lot to his health and happiness.
"Having no worries about life is essential to my health", he concluded.