At least in flies!

Rhodiola rosea is a yellow-flowered mountain plant indigenous to the Arctic regions of Europe and Asia and an herbal supplement long used for its stress-relief properties.

Now, according to a University of California, Irvine study, flies that ate a diet rich with Rhodiola rosea, lived on an average of 10 percent longer than fly groups that didn't eat the herb.

According to Mahtab Jafari, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences and study leader:

"Although this study does not present clinical evidence that Rhodiola can extend human life, the finding that it does extend the lifespan of a model organism, combined with its known health benefits in humans, make this herb a promising candidate for further anti-aging research.

Our results reveal that Rhodiola is worthy of continued study, and we are now investigating why this herb works to increase lifespan."

Already widely studied and thought to have anti-oxidative properties -Rhodiola rosea - also known as the golden root - grows in cold climates at high altitudes and has been used by Scandinavians and Russians for centuries for its anti-stress qualities.

Find more details from University of California, Irvine.

[In Photo: Rhodiola rosea; Credit: Image courtesy of University of California - Irvine]