A recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel coronavirus designated as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) started in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019 and then spread rapidly all over the world. However, there are no specific antiviral therapies for COVID-19, using the agents which approved or in development for other viral infections is one of the potentially quickest ways to find treatment for this new viral infection. Favipiravir is an effective agent that acts as a nucleotide analog that selectively inhibits the viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase or causes lethal mutagenesis upon incorporation into the virus RNA. In view of recent studies and discussion on favipiravir, in this mini review we aimed to summarize the clinical trials studying the efficacy and safety of favipiravir in patients with COVID-19.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is associated with a high mortality rate. The majority of deaths in this disease are caused by ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) followed by cytokine storm and coagulation complications. Although alterations in the level of the number of coagulation factors have been detected in samples from COVID-19 patients, the direct molecular mechanism which has been involved in this pathologic process has not been explored yet. The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is an intracellular pathway which plays a central role in cell survival. Also, in recent years the association between this pathway and coagulopathies has been well clarified. Therefore, based on the evidence on over-activity of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in SARS-CoV-2 infection, in the current review, the probable role of this cellular pathway as a therapeutic target for the prevention of coagulation complications in patients with COVID-19 is discussed.
Azithromycin, a member of the macrolide family of antibiotics, is commonly used to treat respiratory bacterial infections. Nevertheless, multiple pharmacological effects of the drug have been revealed in several investigations. Conceivably, the immunomodulatory properties of azithromycin are among its critical features, leading to its application in treating inflammatory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Additionally, azithromycin may directly inhibit viral load as well as its replication, or it could demonstrate indirect inhibitory impacts that might be associated with the expression of antiviral genes. Currently, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an extra urgent issue affecting the entire world, and it is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which is associated with hyper inflammation due to cytokine release, is among the leading causes of death in COVID-19 patients with critical conditions. The present paper aims to review the immunomodulatory and antiviral properties of azithromycin as well as its potential clinical applications in the management of COVID-19 patients.
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