Repurposing Antiepileptic Drugs for Cancer: A Promising Therapeutic Strategy

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by repeated convulsions. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the main course of therapy for epilepsy. These medications are given according to each patient’s personal medical history and the type of seizures they suffer. They have been employed for decades to manage epilepsy, thus delivering relief from seizures through numerous mechanisms of action. Aside from their anticonvulsant attributes, current evidence suggests that certain AEDs may display potential inhibitory effects against cancer invasion and metastasis. This review explored the complicated interactions between the modes of action of AEDs and the pathways causing cancer, and the potential impact of AEDs on the invasion and metastasis of various forms of cancer, while addressing their associated side effects. For example, valproic acid inhibits histone deacetylase, causing hyperacetylation of genes especially those regulating cell cycle, culminating in cell cycle arrest. Topiramate inhibits carbonic anhydrase, thus disrupting the acidic micrenvironment needed for cancer cells to thrive. Lacosamide increases the slow inactivation of the voltage gated Na+ channel thus inhibiting the growth, proliferation, and metastasis of many cancers. Although drug development is a complex task due to regulatory, intellectual property, and economic challenges, researchers are exploring drug repurposing tactics to overcome these challenges and to find new therapeutic alternatives for diseases like cancer. Thus, drug repurposing is considered among the most effective ways to develop drug candidates using novel properties and therapeutic characteristics, and this review also discusses these issues.