The $9 over-the-counter drug that may slow biological aging

A cheap and readily available drug used to unblock a runny or stuffy nose could be used to fight aging, a study suggests.

Oxymetazoline, brand name Afrin or Sinex, is the go-to nasal spray or nose drops for many battling a blocked nose from allergies or the flu.

Sold for about $9 a bottle over-the-counter, it works by causing swollen blood vessels to constrict, opening the airways and providing instant relief.

But doctors warn it should only be taken twice a day for no more than three days in a row, warning that any longer raises the risk of an addiction.

Now, a study has suggested that the drug, approved by the FDA in 2017, could also boost longevity. 

In a new model, researchers at Northeastern University and Harvard compared 1,250 genes linked to aging and 6,442 drugs.

The genes were linked to aging processes in cells, such as changes that cause them to use energy less efficiently.

Their model suggested that oxymetazoline could combat aging.

The scientists emphasized their finding was theoretical, and that no studies on the drug and aging in animals or humans had been carried out to date.

‘This study does not provide a cure for aging, nor does it prove that any specific drug will extend human life,’ said Dr Albert-Laszlo Barabasi, a physicist involved in the study.

‘It offers a roadmap… toward actionable interventions that can be tested in cells, animals and, eventually, humans.’

It is just the latest common drug to be highlighted as a potential tool for extending lifespan.

Others include metformin, a diabetes drug linked to a longer life in animal studies, and rapamycin, that has also been shown to extend lifespan in animals.

Longevity expert Bryan Johnson took both drugs, but stopped taking metformin in August last year, after five years on the medication, saying it interfered with his energy levels. He also took rapamycin, but stopped using it in November 2025 after five years on the drug, saying it had caused skin issues and elevated his blood sugar.

The study, published in Nature Aging, investigated the FDA-approved drugs against 11 aging processes, also including changes to genes and dysfunction in mitochondria, the energy factories in cells.

It also found that aspirin may help to slow aging. This has previously been investigated as a potential drug for boosting lifespan, but major studies have shown it had ‘no effect’ on healthy lifespan. Scientists say that more research is needed.

It was not clear from the study, how oxymetazoline might slow aging.

The drug works by causing blood vessels to constrict, or narrow, reducing swelling in mucus-secreting tissues that happens during an infection and helping to reopen the airways. 

After taking the drug, patients typically report their symptoms have been eased within five to ten minutes, with the effects lasting for more than 12 hours. 

Researchers warn, however, that with prolonged use nasal passages can become more sensitive, causing them to swell more than normal when the drugs wear off.

This can lead people to constantly reach for the spray to avoid the congestion whenever the drug wears off, triggering an addiction.