Existing Parkinson’s Disease Drug May Fight Against TB

Existing drugs used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease could be repositioned for use in the treatment of extreme drug-resistant tuberculosis, which kills about 2 million people each year, according to a new study.

Using a novel computational strategy and subsequent experimental validation, the researchers discovered that two commercially available drugs, currently prescribed for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease – entacapone and tolcapone – have the potential to treat multi-drug resistant and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis.

Globally, cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis are being recorded at the highest rates ever seen, according to the World Health Organization. They are a particular threat in Russia and other former Soviet republics, India, China and South Africa.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about tuberculosis.

Source: Reuters

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