Evidence mapPaperPMID 40918526Full record

ReviewFrontiers in pharmacology2025

Broad-spectrum therapeutic potential of 4-phenylbutyrate in neurological and systemic diseases of viral and non-viral origin.

Fatima Bobat, David Wu, Ethan Tu, Divya Kapoor, Pankaj Sharma, Joseph S Adams, Chima Orameh, Tejabhiram Yadavalli, Abhijit Date, Deepak Shukla

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in pharmacology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Fatima Bobat *Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
David Wu *Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
Ethan TuDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
Divya KapoorDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
Pankaj SharmaDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
Joseph S AdamsThe University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.
Chima OramehDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
Tejabhiram YadavalliDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
Abhijit DateThe University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.
Deepak ShuklaDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

4-Phenylbutyrate (4-PBA), initially recognized for treating urea cycle disorders, has emerged as a potent therapeutic agent with broad-spectrum potential. As a chemical chaperone, 4-PBA modulates protein folding and reduces endoplasmic reticulum stress. 4-PBA has demonstrated efficacy in treating ocular herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection and HSV-1-induced encephalitis, highlighting its potential as a novel anti-herpetic therapy. Beyond its antiviral properties, 4-PBA's therapeutic reach extends to neurological disorders linked to HSV-1 infection, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Huntington's diseases, and primary open-angle glaucoma. Furthermore, 4-PBA shows promise in treating a diverse array of conditions beyond neurology. Its potential has been explored in atherosclerosis, Adriamycin-induced cardiac injury, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, rifamycin-induced liver injury, chronic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, NSAID-induced kidney injury, and chronic wound healing. This review synthesizes the multifaceted therapeutic potential of 4-PBA, emphasizing its role as a broad-spectrum agent capable of addressing a wide range of pathological conditions, particularly its role in combating HSV-1 and associated neurological disorders. The growing evidence suggests that 4-PBA may be a versatile and valuable addition to the therapeutic arsenal against multiple diseases.

Indexed as

4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA)Broadspectrumherpes simplex virusneurological disorderstherapeutic

Identifiers

PMID40918526
PMCPMC12408561

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.