title: New Antimicrobial Approaches: Reuse of Old Drugs.
abstract: The global situation of antibiotic resistance and the reduction of investments in antibiotics research by the pharmaceutical industry suggest the need for specific cost-effective approaches in order to identify drugs for the therapy of many microbial infections. Among the viable alternative anti-infective compounds, drug repurposing, i.e. to find new uses for previously approved medicines, revealed some encouraging in vitro and in vivo results. In this article the reader has a panoramic view of the updated references on the strategies encountered during the repositioning process. New findings are reported about the anti-microbial efficacy of antipsychotic, cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic drugs. This approach may enhance the portfolio of pharmaceutical companies reducing the need for pharmacokinetic and toxicity studies; the development of new uses of old drugs for different infectious diseases, leading to better health for patients, also in poor, tropical countries, appears to be having better results.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical and Biological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Torino, at S. Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano (Torino), Italy. dianella.savoia@unito.it.
authors.forename: Dianella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Savoia
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D058492:Drug Repositioning / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents