Repurposing ciclopirox for treating multiple forms of cancer: New reports and approaches

Savita Shrikant Deokar, Karimunnisa Sameer Shaikh, Pravin D. Chaudhari, Saakshi Shrikant Deokar

Department of Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance, PES’s Modern College of Pharmacy, Nigdi, Pune, Maharashtra, India

ABSTRACT

Ciclopirox is an anti-mycotic drug, used topically, that belongs to the hydroxypyridone molecular class and is not linked to azole drugs or other anti-fungal medication. Ciclopirox was first designed to treat vaginal candidiasis and fungal skin infections, and it is now widely used for these conditions. Drug repurposing is a method for discovering new applications for authorized or experimental medicines that go beyond the original medical indication. Ciclopirox received acknowledgement as repurposed anti-cancer agent (anti-bladder cancer, anti-Ewing sarcoma, anti-pancreatic cancer, hematologic malignancy inhibitor, proliferating cell lines inhibitor, etc.) owing to multiple therapeutic excellencies, where numerous signaling pathways plays role in treating diverse cancer forms. This review article paved a new way by eventually opening newer possibilities for the enthusiastic (medicinal)-chemists,pharmacologists, and researchers of allied branches to design better drugs, repurpose this drug further, and finally use it clinically against various forms of proliferating diseases like cancer.

Keywords:

Ciclopirox, Repurpose, Anti-cancer, Inhibitors, Pathways, Cancer