Phycocyanin

2 papers5 findings

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

On aging: the drug’s trials ARN judged to be about aging, of every trial that tests it for any use.

No results posted: trials that ended more than a year ago with no results on ClinicalTrials.gov and no paper in ARN’s record.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

2 independent labs in 2 countries
1 finding against

Funders: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca and 1 more

Model organisms1
Cells1

Outcomes

Chronological life span

downin yeast cells1upin yeast cells1no changein yeast cells1

1 study

Phycocyanin shortens chronological life span in yeast cells.
“in this medium, phycocyanin accelerated the chronological aging process of yeast cells, greatly decreasing the CLS”
Cellsin YPDA-rich medium, both at 0.2% and 2% glucose
The Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Model to Study the Anti-Aging Activity of Phycocyanin
International journal of molecular sciences18 Jan 2026
Phycocyanin extends chronological life span in yeast cells.
“in the snf1Δ mutant the anti-aging effect of phycocyanin was still evident”
Cellsin snf1Δ yeast
The Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Model to Study the Anti-Aging Activity of Phycocyanin
International journal of molecular sciences18 Jan 2026
Phycocyanin has no effect on chronological life span in yeast cells.
“in the ras2Δ mutant, phycocyanin did not appear to exert any anti-aging activity”
Cellsin ras2Δ yeast
The Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Model to Study the Anti-Aging Activity of Phycocyanin
International journal of molecular sciences18 Jan 2026

Catalase

downin worms1

1 study

Phycocyanin decreases catalase in worms (-20 Units/mg).
“The catalase activity decreased by 20 Units/mg in worms treated with H2O2 along with phycocyanin compared to those treated with H2O2 alone.”
Model organismsworms treated with H2O2
Synergistic co-culture of Desertifilum tharense MASKD1 and bacterial consortium DBPS1 in an integrated biorefinery for sewage remediation and recovery of phycocyanin, biodiesel and green hydrogen
World journal of microbiology & biotechnology5 Dec 2025