Drug repurposing in the management of major depressive disorder: a perspective - PubMed
6 hours ago
- #Major Depressive Disorder
- #Drug Repurposing
- #Neuroinflammation
- Drug repurposing for major depressive disorder (MDD) uses existing medications with known safety profiles to reduce development costs and time.
- Effective repurposed drugs include telmisartan, statins, celecoxib, valproic acid, pregabalin, metformin, pioglitazone, ketamine, dextromethorphan-bupropion, aripiprazole, and modafinil, along with nutri supplements like vitamin D, zinc, selenium, and spermidine.
- Mechanisms involve modulating neurotransmission (dopaminergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic systems), promoting neuroplasticity, enhancing neurotrophic signalling, and suppressing neuroinflammation.
- Current evidence is limited by a lack of large-scale randomised controlled trials and insufficient mechanistic characterisation.
- Further clinical studies are needed to confirm effectiveness, elucidate mechanisms, and guide incorporation into clinical practice.