Cardiovascular, metabolic, and endocrine drugs

Pentolinium

Pentolinium (Ansolysen, pentolonium) is a bisquaternary pyrrolidinium ganglionic blocking agent, a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist once used for severe hypertension, later for surgical hypotension and autonomic research.

Pentoxifylline

Pentoxifylline (oxpentifylline, Trental), a methylxanthine hemorheologic drug for intermittent claudication; approved 1972 Europe, 1985 US; no longer recommended for claudication, used for venous ulcers.

Perhexiline

Perhexiline (Pexsig), a prophylactic antianginal maleate drug acting on fatty acid metabolism via CPT-1/2, requires CYP2D6-based drug monitoring; used for refractory angina in Australia and repurposed for heart failure and cancer.

Perindopril

Perindopril (Coversyl, Aceon) is a once-daily ACE inhibitor approved in 1988 for hypertension, heart failure, and stable coronary artery disease; active metabolite perindoprilat, half-life 30-120 hours, common side effect dry cough.

Phosphodiesterase inhibitor

A phosphodiesterase inhibitor, or PDE inhibitor, is a drug blocking enzymes that break down cAMP and cGMP, ranging from theophylline to PDE5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction.

Piclidenoson

Piclidenoson (CF101, IB-MECA) is Can-Fite BioPharma's oral A3 adenosine receptor agonist, molecular weight 510.29 Da, half-life about 9 hours, in Phase III development for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and Phase 2 programs for Lowe syndrome and canine osteoarthritis.

Pinacidil anhydrous

Pinacidil anhydrous (UNII BB4UGO5K0D) is the active-moiety form of pinacidil, a racemic cyanoguanidine KATP channel opener (SUR2A/SUR2B) that vasodilates arterioles to treat hypertension; FDA-discontinued, dose-limited by edema and tachycardia.

Pioglitazone

Pioglitazone (Actos) is a thiazolidinedione PPAR-gamma agonist approved in 1999 for type 2 diabetes, also used for NASH and stroke prevention after IRIS; boxed warning for heart failure, weight gain, fracture and bladder cancer signals.

Piretanide

Piretanide (Arelix, Eurelix, Tauliz; HOE 118) is a sulfamoylbenzoic acid loop diuretic synthesized at Hoechst in 1973, inhibiting NKCC2; about 5-7 times more potent than furosemide, one-tenth as potent as bumetanide, used for hypertension and edema.

Pitavastatin

Pitavastatin (Livalo) is a synthetic HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor statin launched in Japan in 2003 and FDA-approved in 2009; 1–4 mg daily doses lower LDL-C 28–47% with low CYP interaction risk.

Polidexide sulfate

Polidexide sulfate (INN; also polydexide sulfate, brand Secholex) is a crosslinked dextran anion-exchange resin and bile acid sequestrant formerly used for hypercholesterolaemia in the UK, withdrawn in the mid-1970s over impurity-related safety concerns.

Polyestradiol phosphate

Polyestradiol phosphate (PEP, Estradurin, LEO 114) is a long-acting injectable polymeric estradiol ester used for palliative androgen suppression in prostatic carcinoma, with dose-dependent testosterone suppression and mixed cardiovascular findings.

Polyethylene glycol loxenatide

Polyethylene glycol loxenatide (PEG-loxenatide, PEX168, brand Fulaimei 孚来美) is a once-weekly PEGylated GLP-1 receptor agonist derived from exenatide, developed by Hansoh and NMPA-approved in 2019 for type 2 diabetes in China.

Polythiazide

Polythiazide (Renese) is a long-acting thiazide diuretic developed by Pfizer, FDA-approved September 26, 1961 as a new molecular entity in 1-4 mg oral tablets, about 250 times as potent as chlorothiazide, now discontinued.

Potassium-sparing diuretic

Potassium-sparing diuretics (amiloride, triamterene, spironolactone, eplerenone, finerenone) are weak diuretics acting in the collecting duct via ENaC blockade or mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism, sparing potassium but risking hyperkalemia; used in heart failure, resistant hypertension, and ascites.

Pradigastat

Pradigastat (LCQ-908, ANJ908) is Novartis's oral DGAT1 inhibitor that cut fasting triglycerides up to 70% in familial chylomicronemia but was abandoned in 2017 over gastrointestinal side effects; later repurposed for constipation.

Prajmalium

Prajmalium (prajmaline, N-propylajmaline) is a class IA antiarrhythmic, ATC C01BA08, derived from the ajmaline rauwolfia alkaloid; used as bitartrate in German-speaking countries for ventricular arrhythmias, half-life 7.3 h, may cause liver damage.

Prasterone

Prasterone (dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA) is an endogenous steroid given as a 6.5 mg once-daily vaginal insert (Intrarosa) for moderate to severe dyspareunia from menopausal vulvovaginal atrophy; FDA approved 2016, distinct from oral DHEA products.

Pravastatin

Pravastatin (pravastatin sodium, formerly Pravachol) is a semi-synthetic HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor statin, U.S.-approved 1991, dosed 40-80 mg daily; low-to-moderate LDL-lowering potency, landmark trials WOSCOPS, CARE, LIPID, PROSPER.

Prednicarbate

Prednicarbate (Hoe 777, brand Dermatop) is a nonhalogenated moderate-potency topical corticosteroid double ester of prednisolone for eczema and psoriasis, metabolized in skin to prednisolone with low atrophogenic and systemic effects.

Prenylamine

Prenylamine (Segontin, Synadrin) was a phenylalkylamine antianginal drug marketed from 1960 by Hoechst and withdrawn in 1988 as the first QT-prolongation casualty; it helped found the calcium antagonist class.

Presendin (sustained-release exenatide)

Presendin is Invex Therapeutics' sustained-release exenatide (PLGA microsphere, once-weekly injection) for idiopathic intracranial hypertension; its Phase III IIH EVOLVE trial (NCT05347147) closed in August 2023 for commercial reasons after 14 enrollments.

Oct 15, 2026

Probucol

Probucol is a synthetic lipid-lowering and antioxidant drug that lowers LDL cholesterol but also lowers HDL; withdrawn in the United States in 1995, it remains in use in Japan.

Sep 29, 2026

Progestin therapy

Progestin therapy is medical treatment with progesterone receptor agonists such as medroxyprogesterone acetate, norethindrone, and levonorgestrel, used for contraception, bleeding control, endometrial protection, and endometrial hyperplasia.

Promestriene

Promestriene (Colpotrophine) is a minimally absorbed estradiol diether used as a low-dose vaginal estrogen for atrophy and genitourinary syndrome of menopause; sold in Europe and Latin America, not approved in the US.

Pronetalol

Pronetalol (pronethalol, nethalide, Alderlin) was the first clinically useful beta-blocker, developed by James Black at ICI, launched in 1963, and withdrawn after causing thymic tumors in mice; propranolol replaced it.

Propatyl nitrate

Propatyl nitrate (propatylnitrate, ETTN, Etrynit, WIN 9317) is a trinitrate ester organic nitrate vasodilator (C6H11N3O9, ATC C01DA07) used for angina pectoris, releasing nitric oxide via ALDH2 bioactivation; distinct from nitroglycerin and isosorbide nitrates.

Propranolol

Propranolol (Inderal) is a nonselective beta blocker developed by James Black at ICI, 1958–1964, introduced 1965 as the first clinically useful beta blocker; used for angina, hypertension, arrhythmia, migraine, and tremor; Nobel Prize 1988.

Propylthiouracil

Propylthiouracil (PTU, 6-propyl-2-thiouracil) is a thionamide antithyroid drug, FDA-approved since 1947, that inhibits thyroid hormone synthesis and T4-to-T3 conversion; reserved for methimazole intolerance and first-trimester pregnancy due to hepatotoxicity risk.