Senolytic Drugs and Emerging Anti-Aging Therapeutics
Senolytics — drugs that selectively eliminate senescent cells — are the anti-aging compounds with the most advanced clinical evidence. The combination of dasatinib (a leukemia drug) and quercetin (a plant flavonoid) clears senescent cells and has shown benefits in small trials for diabetic kidney disease, age-related macular degeneration, and frailty. Larger randomized trials are underway.
Rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor used to prevent organ transplant rejection, extends healthy lifespan in mice more reliably than any other compound and has already been widely prescribed off-label in longevity-focused medicine. Its mechanism — inhibiting nutrient-sensing signaling that drives cellular aging — is well understood. Human safety data from transplant patients is reassuring, though optimizing dosing for longevity is still being studied.
NAD+ precursors including nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) restore levels of a critical metabolite that declines with age. Animal studies show improvements in mitochondrial function, DNA repair, and muscle performance. Human trials are ongoing; early data suggests improvements in markers of vascular health, but definitive longevity evidence remains accumulating.
