Disclosed is use of amlexanox or a salt thereof or a solvate thereof in preparation of a drug having an inhibitory action on the smooth muscle cells, in particular a drug for preventing and treating vascular restenosis. Further disclosed is a medical device, particularly a drug stent, the surface of which is distributed with amlexanox or the salt thereof or the pharmaceutical composition thereof. Amlexanox has an activity in inhibition of the proliferation of smooth muscle cells, has a low inhibitory property of the endothelial cell growth, is particularly suitable for applying on a medical device to prevent the incidence of vascular restenosis, while not delaying the repair of endothelium.