Two previously unknown iridoid glycosides from Verbascum nigrum subspecies abietinum activated multiple stress-resistance pathways in C. elegans worms, upregulating key genes including sek-1/p38 MAPK for autophagy, sqst-1/p62 for cellular cleanup, and hsf-1/HSF1 for heat shock response. One compound showed stereospecific activation of heat shock proteins hsp-16.1 and hsp-16.2, suggesting precise molecular targeting based on its caffeoyl group positioning. This represents meaningful progress in understanding how specific plant monoterpenoids influence aging biology. The findings connect traditional Balkan medicinal plants to conserved longevity pathways shared between worms and humans, including autophagy enhancement and oxidative stress defense. However, the C. elegans model, while valuable for mechanistic insights, has notable limitations for human translation—worms live only weeks and lack complex organ systems. The stereospecific effects hint at sophisticated structure-activity relationships that could guide development of more targeted anti-aging compounds. This work adds to growing evidence that iridoid glycosides, found in various medicinal plants, may represent an underexplored class of longevity-promoting natural products worth investigating in mammalian systems.