Repurposing of Anti-Malarial Drug Quinacrine for Cancer Treatment: A Review

Abstract

Quinacrine (QC), a synthetic drug belonging to the 9-aminoacridine family, has been used extensively to treat malaria and multiple ailments over the past several decades. Following its discovery in the 1920s and extensive use for the treatment of malaria for nearly two decades, numerous studies have explored its antineoplastic potential in both preclinical and clinical settings. Multiple studies spanning over seven decades have examined a wide range of QC anticancer activities across various types of cancers, along with the underlying mechanisms. Many of these mechanisms, including activation of the p53 signaling cascade and simultaneous NF-κB signaling inhibition, have been reported in various studies, bringing QC to a unique polypharmacological category drug possessing the potential to treat a wide variety of diseases, including cancer. This article summarizes most of the research conducted over several decades to uncover new molecular mechanisms activated or inactivated and directly correlate with antineoplastic activity QC.