Influence of anti-inflammatory agents on the survival of Drosophila.

Various anti-inflammatory compounds were tested for their influence on the life span of the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid increased the median life span by 10.9% when fed to adults at a concentration of 1 X 10(-5)M for the entire adult life span. All other anti-inflammatory compounds including acetylsalicylic acid, acetylsalicylic acid plus cupric chloride, Bufferin, chlorpromazine HC1, dimethylsulfoxide, indomethacin, phenol, salicylic acid, and sodium salicylate either decreased or did not change the life span. Rearing flies on 0.5% (0.060M) dimethylsulfoxide caused a 33.3% reduction in life span compared with an 11.8% reduction when fed during adulthood only. At low doses all of the anti-inflammatory compounds including dimethylsulfoxide proved to be nontoxic as measured by changes in life span.