Table 1.
Drug–drug interactions and efficacy in cancer treatment.
| Drug | Pharmaceutical Class | Indication | Targets | Clinical Stage | Potential Use in Cancer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapta-C | Chemotherapy; Anti-cancer [56]; Anti-angiogenic | - | p53-JNK pathway [33], protein; histones in DNA | preclinical | - |
| 3-Hydroxy-tyraminium chloride | Anti-hypertension | Hemodynamic imbalance | System-wideagonist of dopamine type 1–5 receptors | approved | Glioma [57], colorectal cancer, tumor immunity ** [58] |
| Diclofenac sodium | Analgesics | Pain | Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis by inhibition of the transiently expressed prostaglandin-endo-peroxide synthase-2 (PGES-2), also known as Cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2) | approved | Colorectal cancer, neuroblastoma, post-operative [59],pancreatic cancer ** [60] |
| Disulfiram | Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor; Proteasome inhibitor | Alcoholism | Inhibits enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase | approved | Any cancer type [61] |
| Erlotinib·HCl | Anti-cancer agent | Non-small cell lung cancer | Inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor | approved | |
| Famotidine | Anti-ulcer agent | Gastro-esophageal reflux disease | H2 Blocker and Histamine Receptor Antagonist | approved | Pre-operative, tumor immunity ** [62] |
| Haloprogin | Anti-infective agent; Anti-fungal agent | Skin infections (athlete’s foot, jock itch, ringworm, and tinea versicolor (a fungus) | GPCRs,dopamine and adrenergic receptors | discont.(side effects and available new drugs) | Melanoma [39],lung and pancreatic |
| Ivermectin | Anti-infective agent | Parasite infections | Glutamate-gated chloride channels central nervous system depression, and consequent ataxia, potentiation of inhibitory GABA-ergic synapses | approved | Cancer stem-like cells (breast), gastric cancer [63] |
| Metformin·HCl | Hypoglycemic agent | Diabetes type II | Decrease hepatic glucose production, mostly through a mild and transient inhibition of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I, the resulting decrease in hepatic energy status activates AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), a cellular metabolic sensor, providing a generally accepted mechanism for the action of metformin on hepatic gluconeogenesis | approved | Breast cancer stem cells [64], pancreatic cancer **, head and neck squamous cancer ** |
| Parthenolide | Analgesics; Anti-inflammatory agent | HDAC1 inhibition; modulation of NF-kB-mediated inflammation | - | Under clinical investigation | (Breast) cancer stem(-like) cells, colorectal cancer [65,66] |
| Verapamil·HCl | Anti-hypertension | high blood pressure, chest pain from not enough blood flow to the heart muscle | Efflux pump inhibitor; voltage-dependent calcium channels | approved | Pancreatic tumor side population (stem-like) cells [67] |
| Acetylsalicylic acid | Analgesics; | Pain, fever | COX1 and COX2 | approved | Gastrointestinal tract and lungs **, colorectal cancer ** [68] |
** in clinical trials (https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials; accessed on 25 January 2021)