What is Fisetin?
Fisetin is a naturally occurring plant polyphenol belonging to the flavonol subgroup of flavonoids. It was first identified in 1891 and is found in many fruits and vegetables, most notably strawberries. Unlike many other flavonoids, fisetin has recently attracted considerable scientific interest due to its potent senolytic properties—meaning it can selectively clear out senescent cells from the body, which accumulate with age and contribute to age-related diseases and systemic inflammation.
Senescent cells enter a state where they stop dividing but do not die. Instead, they secrete harmful substances collectively known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which includes inflammatory cytokines, enzymes, and growth factors that damage surrounding tissues. Fisetin has shown remarkable ability in preclinical studies to target and eliminate these cells, particularly in aged mice, where it not only improved health markers but also extended lifespan by over 30%.