Is clofazimine effective in treating tuberculosis? Can it be used for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis?

Clofazimine (Clofazimine) has become a representative of "old drugs with new uses" in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Although it was originally used for leprosy, studies have found that it also has inhibitory effects against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, especially in the context of resistance to first-line drugs such as isoniazid and rifampin. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified clofazimine as a "Category B recommended drug" for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis for use in multidrug combination regimens. Its advantages are that it is convenient to take orally, has a low drug resistance rate, and can enhance the bactericidal synergistic effect of other anti-tuberculosis drugs. However, it has a slow onset of action and often needs to be combined with drugs such as fluoroquinolones and bedaquiline, and the course of treatment is generally longer.