The Clinical Antiprotozoal Drug Nitazoxanide and Its Metabolite Tizoxanide Extend Lifespan and Healthspan

Overview

Journal Acta Pharm Sin B

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Pharmacology

Date 2024 Jul 19

PMID 39027239

Authors

Wenfeng Li

Shuming Chen

Jing Lang

Jing Luo

Jiahui Chen

Liping Zhang

Zhijie Sun

Deli Dong

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The drugs extending healthspan in clinic have always been searched. Nitazoxanide is an FDA-approved clinical antiprotozoal drug. Nitazoxanide is rapidly metabolized to tizoxanide after absorption . Our previous studies find that nitazoxanide and its metabolite tizoxanide induce mild mitochondrial uncoupling and activate cellular AMPK, oral nitazoxanide protects against experimental hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and atherosclerosis. Here, we demonstrate that both nitazoxanide and tizoxanide extend the lifespan and healthspan of through Akt/AMPK/sir 2.1/daf16 pathway. Additionally, both nitazoxanide and tizoxanide improve high glucose-induced shortening of lifespan. Nitazoxanide has been a clinical drug with a good safety profile, we suggest that it is a novel anti-aging drug.

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