Table 1.
Retrospective associations suggesting novel uses for existing pharmaceuticals
| Mechanism (where known) or drug | Indication | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 5‐HT uptake inhibitor | Myocardial infarction | 26 |
| ACE inhibitor | Alzheimer disease | 27 |
| ACE inhibitor | Cachexia | 22 |
| ACE inhibitor | Immune downregulation | 28 |
| ACE inhibitor; Angiotensin II (AT1) antagonist | Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis | 29 |
| Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor | Autism | 30 |
| Angiotensin II (AT1) antagonists | Alzheimer disease | 31 |
| Beta‐2‐adrenergic antagonist | Parkinson disease | 32 |
| Beta‐adrenergic antagonist | Alzheimer disease | 27 |
| Beta‐adrenergic antagonist | Cancer | 33 |
| Beta‐adrenergic antagonist | Cancer metastasis; cancer, breast | 34 |
| Beta‐adrenergic antagonist | Cancer, liver | 35 |
| Beta‐adrenergic antagonist | Cancer, lung | 36 |
| Beta‐adrenergic antagonist | Cancer, ovarian | 37 |
| Beta‐adrenergic antagonist | Cancer, prostate | 38 |
| Beta‐adrenergic antagonist | Melanoma | 39 |
| Beta‐adrenergic antagonist | Osteoporosis | 40 |
| Bisphosphonate | Sepsis, ARDS | 41 |
| Calcium channel blockers | Alzheimer disease | 42 |
| Calcium channel blockers | Cancer, lung | 43 |
| Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP‐IV) inhibitor | Inflammatory bowel disease | 44 |
| Gefitinib | Asthma | 45 |
| Glibenclamide | Sepsis | 46 |
| Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK‐3) inhibitor | Cancer | 47 |
| Histamine H2 antagonist | Lung fibrosis | 48 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Age‐related macular degeneration | 49 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Alzheimer disease | 50 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Asthma | 51 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Bacterial diseases | 52 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Burn injury | 53 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Cancer | Oesophageal 54; liver 55; prostate 56 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Cataracts | 57 |
| ACE inhibitor; HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 58 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Depression | 59 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Epilepsy | 60 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Glaucoma | 61 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Influenza, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 62 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Osteoporosis | 63 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Periodontitis | 64 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Pneumonia | 65 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Rheumatoid arthritis | 66 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Sepsis | 67 |
| HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor | Transplant rejection | 68 |
| Hydroxychloriquine | Diabetes (type II) | 69 |
| Ibuprofen | Parkinson disease | 70 |
| Ketamine | Fatigue | 71 |
| Metformin | Alzheimer disease | 72, 73, |
| Metformin | Cancer | Bladder 74, 75; colorectal 76; endometrial 77; liver 78; lung 79; pancreatic 80; prostate 81; |
| Metformin | Psoriasis | 82 |
| Modafinil | Depression | 83 |
| NSAIDs | Cancer | Breast 84; colorectal 85 |
| NSAIDs | Depression | 86 |
| NSAIDs | Sepsis, ARDS | 87 |
| Na+/K+ ATPase inhibitor (digoxin) | Cancer | Lung 88; prostate 89 |
| NMDA antagonist | Bipolar disorder | 90 |
| PPAR γ‐agonists | Cancer, colorectal; cancer, liver | 91 |
| PPAR γ‐agonists | Parkinson disease | 92 |
| PPAR γ‐agonists | Psoriasis | 82 |
| Quinolone antibiotic | Cancer | 93 |
| SORM (selective oestrogen receptor modulator) | Kidney disease, chronic (renal failure) | 94 |
| Sulfonylureas | Stroke | 19 |
| TNF antagonist | Cancer | 96 |
| TNF antagonist | Diabetes (type II) | 97 |
| TNF antagonist | Kawasaki disease | 98 |
| TNF antagonist | Stroke | 95 |
| TNF antagonist | Systemic vasculitis | 98 |
| Tricyclic antidepressants | Cancer | 99 |
| Valproic acid | Cancer, prostate | 100 |
| VEGF monoclonal antibody | Brain and spinal cord injury | 101 |
Abbreviations. ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme; HMG‐CoA, 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐glutaryl‐coenzyme A; NMDA, N‐Methyl‐D‐aspartate; NSAID, non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug; PPAR, peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor; TNF, tumour necrosis factor; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor