Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40869230›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences2025

Exploring a Therapeutic Gold Mine: The Antifungal Potential of the Gold-Based Antirheumatic Drug Auranofin.

Jingyi Ma, Wendy van de Sande, Bernhard Biersack

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of molecular sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. A review of the current anti-New microbes and new infections · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Anti-staphylococcal activity of the auranofin-analogous PEtFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Assessing the Anti-Cryptococcus Antifungal Potential of Artemisinin.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Jingyi MaDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Wendy van de SandeDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Bernhard BiersackOrganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-7305-346X

Funding

China Scholarship Council 202008520048
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Human fungal infections comprise systemic mycoses as well as various skin diseases. Rising case numbers along with inefficient therapies and the appearance of drug-resistant strains unleashed a considerable health problem over the last years. Thus, the identification and development of new antifungal drugs is mandatory, which can include the design of new antifungals, or, more time saving, the repurposing of known drugs already applied for the therapy of other human diseases. The orally applicable gold-based drug auranofin has been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis since the 1980s. However, auranofin also showed marked activity against various cancers, microbes, parasites, and viruses. Facing a pressing need to find new drug candidates against mycoses, especially against those listed in the WHO fungal pathogen priority list, we have summarized the eminent antifungal activities of auranofin in this review. Given its established safety profile and broad-spectrum activity, auranofin represents a promising candidate for repurposing in antifungal therapy. The mechanism of action of auranofin was correlated with thioredoxin reductase inhibition, but other modes of action such as interference with mitochondrial protein import and NADH kinase were also described and discussed. A selection of promising antifungal gold complexes was also provided. Pertinent literature is covered until 2025.

Indexed as

Antifungal AgentsAntirheumatic AgentsAuranofinGoldMycosesAnimalsDrug RepositioningHumansThioredoxin-Disulfide ReductaseAntifungal AgentsAntirheumatic AgentsAuranofinGoldThioredoxin-Disulfide Reductaseantifungal drugsauranofingold complexesmetal-based drugsmycoses

Identifiers

PMID40869230
PMCPMC12386961

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.