The revival of dithiocarbamates: from pesticides to innovative medical treatments

Dithiocarbamates ( DTCs) have been used for various applications, including as hardening agents in rubber manufacturing, as fungicide in agriculture, and as medications to treat alcohol misuse disorder. The multi-faceted effects of DTCs rely mainly on metal binding abilities and a high reactivity with thiol groups. Therefore, the list of potential applications is still increasing, exemplified by the US Food and Drug Administration approval of disulfiram (Antabuse) and its metabolite diethyldithiocarbamate in clinical trials against cancer, human immunodeficiency virus, and Lyme disease, as well as new DTC-related compounds that have been synthesized to target diseases with unmet therapeutic needs. In this review, we will discuss the latest progress of DTCs as anti-cancer agents and provide a summary of the mechanisms of action. We will explain the expansion of DTCs' activity in the fields of microbiology, neurology, cardiology, and ophthalmology, thereby providing evidence for the important role and therapeutic potential of DTCs as innovative medical treatments.

Automated summary

Dithiocarbamates (DTCs) have been widely used in various applications due to their metal binding abilities and high reactivity with thiol groups. The list of potential applications for DTCs continues to grow, with approval for clinical trials against cancer, HIV, Lyme disease, and new compounds targeting diseases with unmet therapeutic needs. DTCs show promising potential as innovative medical treatments in fields such as microbiology, neurology, cardiology, and ophthalmology.