Abstract

REVIEW ON DRUG REPURPOSING FOR THE TREATMENT OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Vinjavarapu L. Anusha*, Buddapu Mounika Rani, L. Samathasri, Maradani Sirisha, K. Jahnavi, V. Pardhasaradhi, O. Roddick Meitei, P. Anil Kumar, P. Poojitha, K. Bhuvana Naga Sai Sri, K. Jaswanthi, K. Pravallika

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and neuronal death. Despite extensive research, effective diseasemodifying treatments are limited. Drug repurposing, which identifies new therapeutic uses for existing drugs, offers a promising and cost-effective strategy for accelerating the discovery of AD treatments. This approach leverages the known safety profiles and pharmacokinetics of approved drugs to target Alzheimer’s-related mechanisms, such as amyloid-beta aggregation, tau protein hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. Several repurposed candidates, including antidiabetic agents (metformin), antihypertensives, antidepressants, and anti-inflammatory drugs, have demonstrated potential neuroprotective effects in both preclinical and clinical studies. Overall, drug repurposing represents a practical and efficient pathway to uncover novel therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, potentially shortening development timelines and improving patient outcomes.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Memory loss, Cognitive decline and neuronal death Drug repurposing.