Summary
Carbachol has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Glaucoma would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Glaucoma. No registered clinical trial in this database tests Carbachol specifically in Glaucoma. The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study. The literature layer holds 5 publications for this pair: 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 1972 to 1996. These are primary trial reports rather than syntheses, so results have not yet been pooled or graded independently.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Glaucoma ranks 339 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Progressive optic nerve damage without treatment; average visual field loss 0.5-1.0 dB/year; blindness in 10-20% without treatment; no spontaneous recovery of lost vision.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 30.0 (trials 0.0, literature 10.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 0 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 5 (5 clinical trial publications) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | Open Targets, ChEMBL |
| Linked via biomarker / target | ABCA1 |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
No registered trial links Carbachol to Glaucoma in the current OSMF trial extract.
Published literature
- Clinical trial publication [Minimally inflammatory cataract surgery]Hessemer V, Schmidt KG, Schartner H · Klinische Monatsblatter fur Augenheilkunde · 1996 · PMID 9091708
- Clinical trial publication Therapeutic index of pilocarpine, carbachol, and timolol with nasolacrimal occlusionZimmerman TJ, Sharir M, Nardin GF et al. · American journal of ophthalmology · 1992 · PMID 1621773
- Clinical trial publication Ocular hypotensive effects of N-demethylated carbachol on open angle glaucomaHung PT, Hsieh JW, Chiou GC · Archives of ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960) · 1982 · PMID 7065943
- Clinical trial publication [Bronchoconstrictive side effects of timolol eye drops in patients with obstructive lung disease]Vonwil A, Landolt M, Flammer J et al. · Schweizerische medizinische Wochenschrift · 1981 · PMID 7015492
- Clinical trial publication [Carbachol compared with pilocarpine in the therapy of glaucoma simplex]Linnert D · Klinische Monatsblatter fur Augenheilkunde · 1972 · PMID 4647517
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ABCA1. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Carbachol approved for Glaucoma?
Carbachol has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Glaucoma would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Glaucoma. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Carbachol in clinical trials for Glaucoma?
No registered clinical trial in this database tests Carbachol specifically in Glaucoma. The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study.
What does the evidence show for Carbachol in Glaucoma?
The record for Carbachol in Glaucoma rests on 5 publications without a registered trial. This is a lead for hypothesis generation, not evidence of efficacy. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ABCA1. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.