Drug Database
SP

spironolactone (Spiroderm)

✓ Approved

Merck KGaA · NR3C2 · Small Molecule

What is spironolactone?

spironolactone is a small molecule developed by Merck KGaA. It is approved for therapeutic indications via topical.

Drug Profile

Brand NamesSpiroderm
CompanyMerck KGaA
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
Molecular TargetNR3C2, SCNN1A
RouteTopical
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Merck KGaA

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Targets

spironolactone acts on 2 molecular targets:

NR3C2nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 2 (NR3C2VIT, MR)
SCNN1Asodium channel epithelial 1 subunit alpha (SCNEA, BESC2)
Want deeper analysis?Noah AI can explain complex mechanisms and compare to similar drugs.

Therapeutic Indications

spironolactone is developed for 1 unique indication across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disordersAcne✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedEuropean journal of heart failure2026-08-30

Time in blood pressure range and cardiovascular outcomes in HFmrEF/HFpEF: a pooled participant-level analysis of four large-scale trials.

Lu Henri H, Claggett Brian L BL, Ostrominski John W JW, Pfeffer Marc A MA et al.

Blood pressure (BP) control is a Class I recommendation for the management of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF); however, evidence supporting systolic BP (SBP) targets remains limited. We investigated associations between BP control and subsequent outcomes in patients with HF with mildly reduced EF (HFmrEF)/HFpEF. We pooled TOPCAT (Americas), PARAGON-HF, DELIVER, and FINEARTS-HF, which tested spironolactone, sacubitril/valsartan, dapagliflozin, and finerenone, respectively, versus placebo or active control in patients with HF and an LVEF >40% (DELIVER), ≥40% (FINEARTS-HF), or ≥45% (TOPCAT-Americas, PARAGON-HF). Daily BPs were estimated by interpolation from standardized office measurements obtained at randomization and prespecified visits. Time in target range (TIR) was the percentage of the first year after randomization during which SBP was 110-<130 mmHg. Continuous associations between TIR and subsequent risk of HF hospitalization or cardiovascular death, its individual components, and all-cause death was assessed using landmark Cox proportional hazards models with linear splines, adjusted for baseline cardiovascular risk factors. Among 17,788 patients (mean age 72±9 years; 47% women; mean baseline SBP 129±15 mmHg), the median TIR was 38% (≈139 days). Randomization to active therapies increased TIR by 2% (95% CI: -2 to 6) with spironolactone, 7% (5 to 9) with sacubitril/valsartan, 2% (0 to 4) with dapagliflozin, and 3% (1 to 5) with finerenone. Higher TIR was associated with lower subsequent risk of the composite outcome (P=0.021), primarily driven by lower HF hospitalization risk (P=0.007); associations with cardiovascular death and all-cause death were not significant. Sensitivity analyses using stricter (120-<130 mmHg) or more liberal ranges (100-<130 and 120-<140 mmHg) yielded qualitatively similar findings. In patients with HFmrEF/HFpEF, BP control during the first year was associated with a lower subsequent risk of HF hospitalization. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT00094302 (TOPCAT), NCT01920711 (PARAGON-HF), NCT03619213 (DELIVER), NCT04435626 (FINEARTS-HF).

PMID 42669134
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PubMedCureus2026-08-30

Real-World Efficacy and Safety of a Topical Salvia fruticosa Leaf Extract Rich in Carnosic Acid and Carnosol for Mild to Very Severe Facial Seborrheic Dermatitis: A 12-Year Retrospective Study.

Kallimanis Panagiotis P, Prodromidis Serafim S

Objective We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a cream (SDπ) containing S. fruticosa leaf extract rich in carnosic acid and carnosol in the treatment of facial seborrheic dermatitis (SD). Methods In this 12-year retrospective study, 10 patients (eight males, two females; age range, 40-78 years) with mild to very severe facial seborrheic dermatitis (mean baseline Seborrheic Dermatitis Area and Severity Index (SEDASI) score: 19; range, 10-60) applied SDπ cream once nightly as monotherapy. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 5 years. Results All patients achieved complete disease clearance (SEDASI=0) within a mean of 7.7 days (range 3-15 days) with marked reduction in erythema, scaling, and rapid relief of pruritus. Remission persisted from 20 days to 10 months. Subsequent episodes responded to re-treatment in a shorter period (mean 4.8 days), while no relapses were observed during long-term maintenance therapy with nightly or alternate-night application. No local or systemic safety concerns were documented throughout treatment and the longitudinal follow-up period. Conclusions In this retrospective observational study, SDπ cream was associated with favorable clinical outcomes and good tolerability, suggesting that it may represent a promising natural topical monotherapy for facial seborrheic dermatitis. Although these findings are encouraging, prospective randomized controlled studies are required to confirm efficacy and long-term safety. To our knowledge, this work represents the first full-length retrospective report in the literature documenting the therapeutic role of S. fruticosa leaf extract rich in carnosic acid and carnosol in seborrheic dermatitis.

PMID 42668826
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PubMedMedical mycology journal2026-08-30

Inflammatory-Type Tinea Corporis from Trichophyton mentagrophytes Animal Type 3 with Suspected Infection from a Guinea Pig.

Hosoi Misato M, Tsuchihashi Hitoshi H, Hiruma Masataro M, Taguchi Nobuyuki N et al.

An adlescent girl was bitten on the right middle finger while attempting to intervene in a fight among her three pet guinea pigs. She was initially treated by a local physician without improvement and was subsequently referred to the Department of Dermatology at our hospital. Direct microscopic examination of scales and crusts with KOH was positive, and she was diagnosed with tinea corporis. The isolated fungus was morphologically identified as belonging to the Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex, and topical luliconazole cream was administered. Molecular analysis based on the DNA sequence of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 region revealed that the isolate belonged to ITS type II, corresponding to T. mentagrophytes animal type 3. These findings strongly suggested zoonotic transmission from the pet guinea pigs. This appears to be one of the very few reported cases of T. mentagrophytes animal type 3 isolated from a human lesion.

PMID 42669479
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PubMedDrug delivery and translational research2026-08-30

Biodegradable furylacryloyl-modified hyaluronan: in vivo evaluation and its use as a nanofibrous drug delivery system.

Brtková Barbora B, Bártová Tereza T, Piskláková Lenka L, Šimek Matěj M et al.

Furylacryloyl-modified hyaluronan (F-HA) has emerged as an appropriate material for the fabrication of UV-crosslinkable, water-stable nanofibrous scaffolds with preserved porosity. However, the safety profile and in vivo applicability of F-HA have not yet been established. In this study, we present biological assessment of F-HA, including biodegradation studies and its first in vivo evaluation in C57BL/6J mice following both intravenous and intraperitoneal administration. The results demonstrate good tolerability under the tested conditions and confirm biodegradability. Additionally, we confirm the ability of composite nanofibers consisting of F-HA with established nanofiber-forming polymers, to incorporate active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), while retaining their porous structure and favorable mechanical properties. Importantly, the incorporation of F-HA alters the release profile of embedded API. Using octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) as a model compound, we demonstrate sustained release from F-HA/lauroyl hyaluronan (L-HA) nanofibrous scaffolds in biologically relevant protein-containing media, while retaining its structural integrity, thus supporting its suitability for biomedical applications. These findings highlight the potential of F-HA as a versatile platform for the development of advanced nanofibrous biomaterials with translational relevance in topical wound healing and drug delivery.

PMID 42668347
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PubMedOrvosi hetilap2026-08-30

[Modern treatment of androgenetic alopecia].

Rózsa Petra P, Kemény Lajos L, Gyulai Rolland R

Androgenetic alopecia is the most common hair loss, characterized by a chronic and progressive course and a significant psychosocial burden. The aim of this study was to provide a comparative analysis of current international guidelines and expert consensus statements on the treatment of androgenetic alopecia and to summarize their applicability in clinical practice. A literature search was performed in the PubMed database to identify English-language guidelines and expert recommendations published between 2015 and 2025. The included documents were analyzed narratively and compared based on therapeutic approaches. Conventional treatments, including topical minoxidil and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, remain the cornerstone of therapy. More recent recommendations increasingly support the use of low-dose oral minoxidil and dutasteride; however, their position varies across guidelines. The role of procedural therapies also differs, mainly due to limited evidence. Differences between recommendations are primarily driven by variability in levels of evidence and the evolving new therapies. In clinical practice, an individualized, multimodal treatment strategy combined with regular follow-up is essential. The management of androgenetic alopecia is a rapidly evolving field requiring personalized therapeutic decisions. In clinical practice, a personalized combined treatment strategy and regular follow-up are of paramount importance. Orv Hetil. 2026; 167(35): 1385-1393.

PMID 42669143
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PubMedBioorganic chemistry2026-08-30

Repurposing butoconazole as a GRP78 substrate-binding domain (SBD) inhibitor to induce endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer.

Song Yaowen Y, Yuan Ziyue Z, Li Zhijia Z, Huang Yunli Y et al.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is aggressive with limited therapies and poor prognosis. Butoconazole, a clinical topical imidazole antifungal for vulvovaginal candidiasis, has not previously been investigated for TNBC treatment. Here, we repurposed butoconazole as a novel allosteric inhibitor of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) for TNBC treatment. It suppressed TNBC cell proliferation (IC50: 13.61 ± 1.07 μM for MDA-MB-231, 26.17 ± 1.17 μM for MDA-MB-468), inhibited migration, and induced apoptosis, resulting in 68.28% tumor growth inhibition in MDA-MB-231 xenograft mouse models without evident toxicity. Mechanistically, we combined RNA-seq and limited proteolysis-mass spectrometry (LiP-MS) to identify GRP78 as its potential target, validated by surface plasmon resonance (SPR), biolayer interferometry (BLI), cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), drug-affinity-responsive target-stability (DARTS) assay and molecular dynamics simulations. Unlike existing GRP78 modulators, butoconazole allosterically attaches to the helical bundle at the distal tip of GRP78 substrate-binding domain α (SBD-α), rearranges its binding pocket and blocks GRP78 chaperone activity. This triggers endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, elevates the expression levels of ATF4 and CHOP and induces apoptosis. Rescue assays with 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA), ATF4/CHOP knockdown or GRP78 overexpression attenuated butoconazole's anti-tumor activity. Collectively, butoconazole suppresses TNBC through allosteric GRP78 inhibition to trigger ER stress-mediated ATF4/CHOP apoptosis, and represents a promising lead compound for further development as a systemic anti-TNBC agent through formulation optimization.

PMID 42669273
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