Revolutionized medicine in various specialty areas
Development:
Aminopterin and methotrexate designed to inhibit mammalian folate metabolism
Concept of folic design applied to antibacterial and antiparasitic agents
Trimethoprim and sulfa drugs among the first antibiotics developed
Although surprising, it seems fitting that a drug developed at the dawn of the era of rational drug design and therapeutics, methotrexate, should remain in common use for the therapy of so many different kinds of illnesses. Moreover, methotrexate has completely revolutionized the way in which medicine is practiced in a number of specialty areas. First developed to treat malignancies, methotrexate is now commonly used to treat gynecological problems, inflammatory arthritis, skin disease, and probably other ailments as well. This work is designed to give a broad overview of the history of methotrexate's development, its prior use, and its current therapeutic uses. As discussed in Chapter I, aminopterin and methotrexate were designed to inhibit mammalian folate metabolism, but the concept of folic acid antagonism was soon applied to the development of antibacterial and antiparasitic agents. Trimethoprim and sulfa drugs were among the first antibiotics developed and they also remain quite useful today for the treatment of a variety of infections.
Methotrexate remains in common use for treating various illnesses
Revolutionized medicine in multiple specialty areas
Originally developed for malignancies, now used for gynecological problems, inflammatory arthritis, and skin disease
Development of aminopterin and methotrexate led to inhibition of mammalian folate metabolism
Concept of folic acid antagonism applied to antibacterial and antiparasitic agents
Trimethoprim and sulfa drugs were among the first antibiotics developed