December 11, 2024
By John Gever, MedPage Today | December 11, 2024
A derivative of the diuretic drug amiloride—called benzamil—showed strong potential in preclinical models as a new, low-cost, and targeted psoriasis treatment. In a study led by Dr. M. Peter Marinkovich of Stanford University and published in Science Translational Medicine, benzamil reduced skin inflammation and abnormal cell growth in both mouse models and psoriatic human skin grafts.
The discovery originated from a computational analysis comparing gene expression profiles from psoriasis patients with those influenced by existing drugs. Benzamil emerged as a strong match for reversing pathological inflammation by inhibiting the Rac1 signaling pathway—a key player in immune system overactivation.
Though not FDA-approved, benzamil is widely available for research and offers a promising alternative to current steroid-based therapies. Researchers note that additional studies are needed to evaluate its safety and clinical effectiveness.
Dermatology
Stanford University
Harrington Scholar-Innovator