¿Es la canela el elixir de la vida?

A research lab at a University of California campus has a big ambition—to extend the number of years people live disease-free. The animal model it uses for its experiments is decidedly smaller: the tiny fruit fly.

The Jafari Lab, located at UC Irvine, has run tests on substances as diverse as green tea, cinnamon and an Arctic plant called Rhodiola rosea, looking for an elixir of life. To pass muster, each experimental compound must help the fruit flies live longer and not have adverse effects.

The researchers are currently investigating the effects of cinnamon on lifespan. The spice passed the first test: A 25-milligram dose resulted in fruit flies living up to 37% longer. But to be declared a success, the lab is putting cinnamon through three additional tests—does it harm reproductive ability and locomotion and what impact does it have on cognitive capacities such as memory.

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