Repurposing Existing Drugs for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Chronic stress and traumatic events affect the psychological and physiological state of a person. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of psychological stress that occurs in critical situations that pose a direct threat to the life of the person and/or his or her loved ones. The prevalence of PTSD is increasing every year due to growing exposure to traumatic factors such as wars, natural disasters, and other crises. These events lead to severe psychological consequences, affecting a rising number of people worldwide. Currently, PTSD can be challenging to treat due to the complex nature of the disorder, variability in individual responses to treatment, and limitations in available therapeutic options. Considering the emergency need for effective PTSD treatment, a drug repurposing strategy presents a promising avenue to accelerate the availability of therapies. Here, we summarized and described drugs that were repurposed for alleviating PTSD symptoms. Moreover, we discussed the potential of some drugs, including alpha-adrenergic modulators, cannabinoids, glutamatergic modulators, and antipsychotics, for being repurposed for PTSD treatment. Drug repurposing implies the rapid identification of compounds with an established safety profile and known therapeutic effects that may be effective in PTSD. Repurposing existing drugs with already established pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics may shorten development timelines, facilitate a direct transition to the second phase of clinical trials, and lower costs. However, potential drawbacks and negative aspects should be discussed comprehensively.