Memantine and its benefits for cancer, cardiovascular and neurological disorders

Memantine is a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist that was initially indicated
for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. It is now also considered for a variety of other
pathologies in which activation of NMDA receptors apparently contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of
disease. In addition to the central nervous system (CNS), NMDA receptors can be found in non-neuronal cells and
tissues that recently have become an interesting research focus. Some studies have shown that glutamate
signaling plays a role in cell transformation and cancer progression. In addition, these receptors may play a role
in cardiovascular disorders. In this review, we focus on the most recent findings for memantine with respect to its
pharmacological effects in a range of diseases, including inflammatory disorders, cardiovascular diseases, cancer,
neuropathy, as well as retinopathy