Repurposing A Common Anthelmintic Drug Mebendazole for Colon Cancer Therapy
Abstract
Colon cancer continues to impose a solid all-encompassing health burden regardless of important advances in screening, surgical methods, and intrinsic therapies. Current situation policies are frequently restricted for one development of drug opposition, situation-related toxicity, and extreme monetary costs, underscoring the need for alternative and complementary healing approaches. Drug repurposing, that involves labeling new dispassionate applications for settled cures, has gained growing consideration as a practical and economic planning in oncology. In this framework, certain established anthelmintic (antagonistic-worm) drugs, specifically benzimidazole descendants such as mebendazole, have arose as hopeful anticancer candidates. Accumulating preclinical evidence shows that mebendazole applies strong antiproliferative belongings against colon tumor cells in a shot- and period-dependent approach, while broadly sparing common containers. Mechanistic studies indicate that allure anticancer endeavor is primarily interceded through turmoil of microtubule dynamics, happening in G2/M container-cycle arrest and mitotic calamity. This is followed by incitement of intrinsic apoptotic pathways, containing mitochondrial sheath depolarization, caspase activation, and timbre of supporting- and anti-apoptotic proteins. Additional belongings contain inhibition of angiogenesis, meddling accompanying tumor level of glucose in blood absorption, and suppression of oncogenic indicating pathways that are fault-finding for tumor progress and continuation. Evidence from animal models further supports these findings, accompanying meaningful tumor development restriction observed in colon malignancy xenograft studies and littlest systemic toxicity. Given allure spoken bioavailability, low cost, and long past of dependable clinical use, mebendazole shows a irresistible nominee for repurposing in colorectal cancer healing. Overall, the convenient data support further hearing concerning this common anthelmintic drug in well-planned dispassionate trials, either as a monotherapy or together accompanying existing standard situations.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Heterocyclic Compound Synthesis and Bioactivity
Colorectal Cancer Treatments and Studies
Cancer therapeutics and mechanisms
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Cancer Research and Cellular Therapeutics
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 01
- Pages
- 01–04
- Publication date
- 13 February 2026
- Language
- EN