An old antifungal drug slowed brain tumor growth in lab tests
Original title: Griseofulvin as a dual-action agent against glioblastoma: anti-tumor effect and enhancement of 5-ALA photodynamic diagnosis in stem-like cells.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done on cells in a lab, not in people. It is a very early step.
This was only tested in lab cells and in mice.
The short version
A common antifungal drug slowed glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4, the highest grade. It grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary growth in lab cells and in mice.
What was studied. Researchers tested griseofulvin, an antifungal drug, on glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4, the highest grade. It grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary cells grown in the lab. They also gave it by mouth to mice with brain tumors.
What they found. The drug stopped tumor cells from dividing, and it slowed their growth. In mice, it slowed tumor growth too. Surgeons use a drug called 5-ALA: A medicine you are given before some brain operations. The tumor soaks it up. Under a special light the tumor then glows, so the surgeon can see where it stops and healthy brain starts. See the glossary to make tumors glow during surgery. Tumors from treated mice glowed more brightly against normal tissue, so they were easier to see.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Doctors already use 5-ALA: A medicine you are given before some brain operations. The tumor soaks it up. Under a special light the tumor then glows, so the surgeon can see where it stops and healthy brain starts. See the glossary to help see tumor edges during surgery. This drug might one day make that glow stronger. It might also slow the tumor itself. For now, this is an early idea, not a treatment.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean griseofulvin treats brain tumors in people. The work was done only in lab cells and in mice. No one has tested it in people with glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4, the highest grade. It grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. The researchers say it is still unknown whether the brighter glow helps surgery or helps people live longer. This is not a cure.
Source: PubMed, September 8, 2026 · Read the original
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