Sometimes an antibiotic is much more

For years, tetracyclines have proved invaluable as a family of everyday antibiotics. Now, a therapeutic alter ego for these drugs is emerging–one unrelated to their germ-fighting prowess.

At the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in San Francisco last week, scientists reported using tetracyclines to thwart a variety of diseases including periodontal bone loss and cancer.