Drug Repurposing For Alzheimer’s Disease: Current Strategies, Therapeutic Potential And Clinical Challenges
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease represents a progressive neurological disorder distinguished by cognitive impairment and memory deterioration resulting from amyloid-β plaque accumulation and neurofibrillary tangle development within cerebral tissue. Pharmaceutical research endeavors targeting Alzheimer's disease have encountered significant obstacles due to predominantly failed clinical trials over the preceding ten years. Drug repurposing, defined as identifying novel therapeutic applications for existing medications or pharmaceutical compounds, constitutes a viable and opportune approach to drug development, especially concerning Alzheimer's disease. Methodologies and tactics are formulated according to AD pathophysiology, encompassing amyloid-related pathology, tau-associated pathology, oxidative damage, mitochondrial impairment, neuroinflammatory processes, and autophagic mechanisms. Pharmaceutical repurposing methodologies encompass computational approaches including molecular docking studies, alongside experimental investigations utilizing rodent models. According to substantial supporting evidence, high-priority repurposed therapeutic agents can be categorized into antimicrobials, antihypertensive medications, antidiabetic compounds, antidepressant drugs, among others. This review examines the diverse pathophysiological mechanisms of AD, methodological approaches, and comprehensive details regarding repurposed medications. Additionally, it addresses obstacles and prospective directions for drug repurposing in AD research.
Keywords:
Alzheimer’s disease, Drug repurposing, Amyloid pathology, Tau pathology and Computational techniquesReferences
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