A root extract of the Fallopia multiflora, or Chinese knotweed, has special properties: It enables the nematode C. elegans to live longer and protects it from oxidative stress. This has been demonstrated in a new study by nutritional scientists at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU). The researchers provide scientifically substantiated evidence for the effectiveness of this extract, which is primarily used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a dietary supplement. They have also identified molecular signalling pathways that could be responsible for the extract’s effect. Their study was recently published in the international scientific journal Plants.