ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences2025
Beyond Antibiotics: Repurposing Non-Antibiotic Drugs as Novel Antibacterial Agents to Combat Resistance.
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 11 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed.
- NIR-Assisted Multimodal Strategies for Enhanced Antibacterial Therapy.Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) · 2026Review
- Psychotropic Drugs: A Promising Non-Antibiotic Agent to Combat Multi-Drug-Resistant Microorganisms.Drug development research · 2026Review
- Combining Diclofenac and Cannabidiol to Enhance the Antibacterial Capacity of Nonantibiotic Drugs Through Potentiation.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Commonly prescribed medicines antagonise anti-MRSA antibiotics and select for resistance.Microbiology (Reading, England) · 2026Article
- A novel penicillin-binding protein inhibitor with unprecedented intracellular activity eradicates multiple pathogenic bacteria.PLoS pathogens · 2026Article
- Phenotype-Guided Nanotherapeutic Strategies for Carbapenem-ResistantPharmaceutics · 2026Review
- Two Worlds, One Battle: How Bacteria and Malignancies Converge on Drug Resistance.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Repurposing Non-Infectious Therapeutic Agents to Aid in the Treatment of Chronic Biofilm Infections.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- In vitro and in vivo synergistic effects of cyclizine and piroxicam in combination with linezolid against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.Applied microbiology and biotechnology · 2026Article
- Infectious, inflammatory, and clinical outcomes among patients prescribed trifluoperazine or amoxapine: a retrospective cohort study using real-world data.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The escalating global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) necessitates innovative therapeutic strategies beyond traditional antibiotic development. Drug repurposing offers a rapid, cost-effective approach by identifying new antibacterial applications for existing non-antibiotic drugs with established safety profiles. Emerging evidence indicates that diverse classes of non-antibiotic drugs, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), statins, antipsychotics, calcium channel blockers and antidepressants, exhibit intrinsic antibacterial activity, or potentiate antibiotic efficacy. This review critically explores the mechanisms by which drugs that are not recognised as antibiotics exert antibacterial effects, including efflux pump inhibition, membrane disruption, biofilm inhibition, and quorum sensing interference. We discuss specific examples that demonstrate reductions in minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antibiotics when combined with these drugs, underscoring their potential as antibiotic adjuvants. Furthermore, we examine pharmacokinetic considerations, toxicity challenges, and clinical feasibility for repurposing these agents as standalone antibacterials or in combination therapies. Finally, we highlight future directions, including the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning to prioritise drug candidates for repurposing, and the development of targeted delivery systems to enhance bacterial selectivity while minimising host toxicity. By exploring the overlooked potential of non-antibiotic drugs, this review seeks to stimulate translational research aimed at leveraging these agents in combating resistant bacterial infections. Nonetheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that such drugs may also pose unintended risks, including gut microbiota disruption and facilitation of resistance development. Hence, future research should pursue these opportunities with equal emphasis on efficacy, safety, and resistance mitigation.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.