Two oral compounds taken together in short courses to clear lingering aging cells and target aging itself. The most reliable human finding is that brief courses lower markers of these cells; early studies hinted at better mobility but lacked comparison groups. Animal results are striking but unproven in people. Experimental, with real safety questions. (Full Review)

Protocol

Dose

Dasatinib 100 mg/day + Quercetin 1000–1250 mg/day

Oral; standard Mayo Clinic / Kirkland research dosing

Schedule

3 consecutive days, then days-to-weeks off

Intermittent "hit-and-run"; IPF pilot used 3 days/week for 3 weeks

Administration

Take with food; avoid grapefruit and acid-reducers

Food reduces GI upset; space antacids by several hours

Time to effect

Senescent-cell markers

~11 days

Markers fell within ~11 days in the kidney-disease pilot

Physical function

~3 weeks

Changes appeared over a 3-week course in the lung-fibrosis pilot

Benefits

Medium: Reduction of senescent-cell burden; improved physical function in pulmonary fibrosis

Low: Extension of healthspan and lifespan; reduced bone resorption and skeletal aging; improved cardiac and metabolic markers

Speculative: Slowing of neurodegeneration; broad longevity and disease-delay effect

Contraindications

Active bleeding or bleeding disorders

Significant cardiac arrhythmia or prolonged QT

Decompensated heart failure (NYHA III–IV)

Severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh C)

Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Active cancer outside a supervised trial

Key Interactions

CYP3A4 inhibitors (ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, ritonavir, grapefruit juice)

CYP3A4 inducers (rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, St. John's wort)

Acid-reducing agents (PPIs such as omeprazole, H2 blockers such as famotidine, antacids)

Antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs (aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, apixaban) and NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen)

QT-prolonging drugs (certain antiarrhythmics, some antibiotics, antipsychotics)

Risk & Side Effects

High: Dasatinib-related adverse effects (class toxicity)

Medium: Common short-course adverse events

Low: Drug-interaction toxicity via CYP3A4; off-target tissue damage

Speculative: Impaired tissue repair or immune function; unknown long-term and cumulative effects

Monitoring

Marker	Target	Why
Platelet count	200–400 ×10⁹/L	Dasatinib impairs platelet function; low counts raise bleeding risk
QTc interval (ECG)	< 440 ms	Dasatinib can prolong QT and provoke arrhythmia
ALT / AST (liver enzymes)	< 25 U/L (ALT), < 25 U/L (AST)	Dasatinib is liver-metabolized; flags hepatic stress
eGFR (kidney function)	> 90 mL/min/1.73m²	Assesses organ reserve and dosing safety
hs-CRP	< 1.0 mg/L	General inflammation marker that may reflect SASP burden
IL-6	< 1.8 pg/mL	A core SASP cytokine; exploratory readout of senescence-related inflammation

Cadence: Baseline before each course; follow-up labs at ~1–2 weeks if any abnormality or symptom; periodic reassessment every 6–12 months if repeated.

Qualitative Assessment

Physical function: ease of walking, stair-climbing, or rising from a chair
Energy and fatigue: subjective stamina
Recovery and inflammation symptoms: joint aches or general inflammatory symptoms

Dasatinib & Quercetin as a Senolytic Therapy

Protocol

Benefits

Risk & Side Effects

Monitoring

Qualitative Assessment