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Repurposing Psychotropic Agents for Viral Disorders: Beyond Covid
Shea R Golden1, Donald L Rosenstein2, Tom Belhorn3
1Department of Neuroscience, Middlebury College, the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Assay and Drug Development Technologies
|August 10, 2021
Summary
Psychotropic medications show broad antiviral potential against various viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Further clinical trials are needed to repurpose these drugs as antivirals for both children and adults.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Pharmacology
- Drug Repurposing
Background:
- Recent interest in chlorpromazine and fluvoxamine as anti-COVID-19 agents.
- Psychotropic medications are being explored for broader antiviral applications.
- Understanding the antiviral spectrum of psychotropic drugs is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the known antiviral activity of psychotropic medications against human pathogens.
- To identify psychotropic drugs with preclinical antiviral effects.
- To explore potential for drug repurposing in viral infections.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of literature.
- PubMed search for "drug repurposing, antiviral activity" and "antiviral activity" with "psychotropic drugs".
- Data collected through November 2020.
Main Results:
- 37 out of over 100 psychotropic agents showed preclinical antiviral activity against human pathogens.
- Activity was observed against epidemic viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2, Ebola) and rare viral pathogens.
- Many psychotropic drugs demonstrated activity against multiple viruses, suggesting shared targets.
Conclusions:
- Psychotropic medications represent a promising class for antiviral drug repurposing.
- Further clinical investigation, including in pediatric populations, is warranted.
- Safety profiles may be more favorable in antiviral contexts than in long-term psychiatric treatment.
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