Senolytics — Clearing Zombie Cells
The zombie-cell problem
Senescent cells are old, damaged cells that stop dividing but refuse to die. They accumulate with age and secrete pro-inflammatory SASP factors that poison surrounding tissue. Clearing them would, in theory, reduce systemic inflammation and improve function of every organ nearby. Senolytics try to do exactly that.
Dasatinib + Quercetin — the flagship combo
The leukaemia drug dasatinib combined with the flavonoid quercetin selectively kills senescent cells in vitro and in mouse models. In aged mice, 2 doses/month improved physical function, extended median lifespan by 36% (when started at 24 months), and reversed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in a small human pilot.
Fisetin — the natural candidate
Fisetin is a flavonoid in strawberries that showed the broadest senolytic activity in a 2018 Mayo Clinic screen of 10 candidate natural compounds. Typical protocol: 1000 mg/day for 2 days, once monthly. Ongoing human trials (AFFIRM-LITE, others) are still reporting — but the safety profile is excellent and the cost is low.
True or False
Senolytics need to be taken daily to work.
Evidence-base reality check
Senolytic mouse data is strong. Human data is thin but growing — mostly small trials in specific disease states (IPF, diabetic kidney disease, osteoporosis). No randomised all-cause-mortality trial has run. Fisetin's safety profile makes it a reasonable experiment; D+Q requires physician supervision because dasatinib has its own side-effect story.
Key Takeaway
Senolytic therapy is one of the most exciting longevity categories but still early. Fisetin is cheap, safe, and plausibly beneficial. D+Q has stronger data but needs physician oversight. Both are dosed intermittently — monthly, not daily. Watch this space, it'll move fast in the next few years.