Longevity & AgingPlant Flavonoid DMY Clears Senescent Cells and Eases Alzheimer's in Mice
Researchers screened a 50-compound natural medicinal agent library and identified dihydromyricetin (DMY), a flavonoid from vine tea, as a potent senotherapeutic. In fibroblasts and endothelial cells, DMY suppressed the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) without killing cells—acting as a senomorphic. The mechanism involves DMY promoting nuclear translocation of the antioxidant protein PRDX2, which facilitates DNA repair in senescent cells. In microglia—which express low baseline PRDX2—DMY instead impairs mitochondrial function and triggers apoptosis, acting as a senolytic. In mouse models, DMY mitigated premature aging, enhanced chemotherapy outcomes, reduced amyloid-beta plaques, and improved cognition in an Alzheimer's disease model.
