Molecular pathways of Traditional Chinese medicine-derived compounds in

RobTuck · April 9, 2026, 10:00pm

AustraliaLongevity · April 10, 2026, 12:18am

There are a number of isolated phytonutrients that have powerful longevity effects in Chinese herbal medicine (and other herbal medicine systems).

A recent example of this is homoharringtonine:

Leukemia Drug Repurposed as Adipose-Targeted Senolytic to Reverse Metabolic Aging

The accumulation of senescent cells in white adipose tissue (WAT) actively drives systemic metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance, and pathological tissue fibrosis. Eliminating these cells via senolytics is a promising strategy for healthspan extension. A sweeping drug-repositioning screen of 2,150 clinical compounds has identified homoharringtonine (HHT)—an FDA-approved alkaloid currently utilized for chronic myeloid leukemia—as a highly potent senolytic. Unlike traditional senolytics that universally target Bcl-2 or related anti-apoptotic pathways, HHT acts via direct physical interaction with Heat Shock Protein Family A Member 5 (HSPA5). HSPA5 is a molecular chaperone that becomes pathologically upregulated on the surface of senescent adipocytes to manage endoplasmic reticulum stress. By binding to the ATP-binding site of HSPA5 and neutralizing its ATPase activity, HHT selectively triggers caspase-3-mediated apoptosis in senescent cells while sparing non-senescent cells. The sy…

CronosTempi · April 10, 2026, 2:08am

Are there any human in vivo RCTs characterizing outcomes for these senolytics?