A new article published in Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology presented a review focusing on other therapeutic areas in which retinoids – retinol (vitamin A), all-trans retinoic acid (RA), and synthetic retinoic acid receptor (RAR)α-, β-, and γ-selective agonists, are being used and on promising new research that shed light onother uses for retinoids for the treatment of disorders of the kidneys, skeletal muscles, heart, pancreas, liver, nervous system, skin, and other organs.

The authors reported that the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has approved RAR-selective agonists for the treatment of various skin diseases. Meanwhile, synthetic retinoidagonists act through a specific RAR, and hence, impose minimal side effects. In addition, synthetic retinoids often have better pharmaceutical properties compared to RA.

The increasing knowledge of the multiple roles of retinoids in development, epigenetic regulation and tissue repair, has led to the emergence of newer therapeutic areas.

Source: Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology. Volume 62 is January 2022.