Repurposing Finasteride And Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors As Novel Antimicrobials: A Dual-Action Approach To Target Bacterial And Fungal Pathogens

This study explores the potential of repurposing existing drugs, specifically serotonin reuptake inhibitors and finasteride, as novel antimicrobials. Duloxetine and escitalopram showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against both bacteria and fungi, while buspirone was effective against Gram-positive bacteria and Candida albicans. Finasteride, although limited in direct antifungal activity, significantly disrupted yeast virulence traits such as biofilm formation and host infection capacity. These findings suggest that these drugs could be promising candidates for developing new therapies against resistant bacterial and fungal pathogens.