新型药物有望延长人类寿命至120岁

It sounds like something from a science fiction film, but a pill to counter the ageing process could become a reality.

这听起来有点像科幻片的桥段，但可延缓衰老进程的药物有望变为现实。

Scientists in Russia are testing a new formula, which they claim can delay the start of the ageing process.

俄罗斯的科学家正在试验一种新配方，他们宣称该配方可以延缓衰老进程。

They hope the tablet, which is being tested on rats, mice, fish and dogs, will allow people to live to at least 120.

他们希望这种正在老鼠、小鼠、鱼以及狗身上试验的药片能够将人类的寿命至少延长到120岁。

Researcher Dr Maxim Skulachev, from the Moscow State University project, said: 'A lot of aging diseases developed much slower.'

莫斯科国立大学项目研究教授马克西姆·斯古拉乔夫(Maxim Skulachev)称：“大量的衰老病症进展更缓慢。”

The scientists are using a 'new type of antioxidant', which they hope will impact on on the mitochondria, the energy-producing part of cells, which is seen as triggering ageing.

科学家正在使用一种“新型抗氧化剂”，他们希望会影响线粒体的结构。线粒体是细胞中的能量产生部分，被认为会引发人体老化。

'The mitochondria are to be blamed for heart attacks, they are linked to diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's,' he said.

斯古拉乔夫说：“线粒体会引发心脏病，也与类似阿尔兹海默症(Alzheimer's )和帕金森氏综合症(Parkinson's)有关。”

He pointed to the naked mole-rat of east Africa renowned for longevity and evidently immune to cancer.

他指出东非的裸鼹鼠以长寿和明显对癌症免疫而闻名。

A realistic goal was to aim for a life span for humans of 120, and anti-ageing medication was 'technically possible', he told Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper.

他在接受《莫斯科共青团报》(Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper)采访时表示，现实的目标是将人类的寿命延长到120岁，抗衰老药物“在技术上是可行的”。

'I don't believe we will be able to live to 800,' he said.

“我不相信我们能活到800岁的高龄。”

'Most probably, some new disease will emerge, let's say, a typical disease for a 120-year-old. That was the case with cancer, which was a rare disease when ancient people died much younger.'

“但很可能的是出现一些新疾病。比如说，120岁老人的典型病——癌症。以前人们的寿命较短时，很少有人患有这种病。”

The Russian tests have not led to an significant life span increase, but delayed the onset of ageing, he said.

他说，他们的试验在延长寿命上还未取得突破性进展，但已经延缓了衰老进程。

'If it turns out that diseases develop more slowly, our idea to fight aging through mitochondria is the right one, added Dr Skulachev, who has been working to perfect his treatment for decades.

“如果证明疾病发展的更为缓慢，我们通过线粒体抗击衰老的想法就是正确的。”斯古拉乔夫补充道。他已经在完善抗衰老试验上研究了数十年。

'It will be possible to postpone old age.'

“延缓衰老是可能的。”