Research Progress of Drug Treatment in Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia

Chinese Medicine for Treatment of COVID-19: A Review of Potential Pharmacological Components and Mechanisms

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infectious respiratory disease that has been prevalent since December 2019. Chinese medicine (CM) has demonstrated its unique advantages in the fight against COVID-19 in the areas of disease prevention, improvement of clinical symptoms, and control of disease progression. This review summarized the relevant material components of CM in the treatment of COVID-19 by searching the relevant literature and reports on CM in the treatment of COVID-19 and combining with the physiological and pathological characteristics of the novel coronavirus. On the basis of sorting out experimental methods in vivo and in vitro, the mechanism of herb action was further clarified in terms of inhibiting virus invasion and replication and improving related complications. The aim of the article is to explore the strengths and characteristics of CM in the treatment of COVID-19, and to provide a basis for the research and scientific, standardized treatment of COVID-19 with CM.

Will the Use of Pharmacogenetics Improve Treatment Efficiency in COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a global health crisis and the greatest challenge for scientists and doctors. The virus causes severe acute respiratory syndrome with an outcome that is fatal in more vulnerable populations. Due to the need to find an efficient treatment in a short time, there were several drugs that were repurposed or repositioned for COVID-19. There are many types of available COVID-19 therapies, including antiviral agents (remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, oseltamivir), antibiotics (azithromycin), antiparasitics (chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin), and corticosteroids (dexamethasone). A combination of antivirals with various mechanisms of action may be more efficient. However, the use of some of these medicines can be related to the occurrence of adverse effects. Some promising drug candidates have been found to be ineffective in clinical trials. The knowledge of pharmacogenetic issues, which translate into variability in drug conversion from prodrug into drug, metabolism as well as transport, could help to predict treatment efficiency and the occurrence of adverse effects in patients. However, many drugs used for the treatment of COVID-19 have not undergone pharmacogenetic studies, perhaps as a result of the lack of time.

Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacogenetics: In Silico Prediction of Drug Effects in Treatments for Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV2 Disease

The latest developments in precision medicine allow the modulation of therapeutic approaches in different pathologies on the basis of the specific molecular characterization of the patient. This review of the literature coupled with in silico analysis was to provide a selected screening of interactions between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and drugs (repurposed, investigational, and biological agents) showing efficacy and toxicityin counteracting Covid-19 infection. In silico analysis of genetic variants related to each drug was performed on such databases as PharmGKB, Ensembl Genome Browser, www.drugs.com, and SNPedia, with an extensive literature review of papers (to May 10, 2020) on Covid-19 treatments using Medline, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, PharmGKB, and Google Scholar. The clinical relevance of SNPs, known as both drug targets and markers, considering genetic variations with known drug responses, and the therapeutic consequences are discussed. In the context of clinical treatment of Covid-19, including infection prevention, control measures, and supportive care, this review highlights the importance of a personalized approach in the final selection of therapy, which is probably essential in the management of the Covid-19 pandemic.