Title:COVID-19: Are Experimental Drugs a Cure or Cause?
Volume: 17
Issue: 2
Author(s): Bensu Karahalil*Aylin Elkama
Affiliation:
- Department of Toxicology, Gazi Universirty, Ankara, Turkey
Keywords:
COVID-19, antiviral drugs, immunosuppressant, cytokines, efficacy, safety concerns.
Abstract:
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus. It is
characterized by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has quickly influenced
all over the world since it spreads easily. Common symptoms are fever, cough, difficulty
in breathing and muscle aches. Despite the urgent need to find an effective antiviral treatment, already
available agents are being used alone or in combination all over the world. At the beginning
of the pandemic, death rates of infection caused by COVID-19 are high but “is COVID-19 responsible
for all deaths?”, or “are there any contributions of the frequently used drugs in this period to these
deaths?” Surely herd immunity plays a major role and has contributed to the decline in mortality
rates. Meanwhile, it is kept in mind that due to safety concerns, changes have also been made in
the dosage and combined use of frequently used drugs.
Objective: In this review, answers to two questions above and the safety of treatments, toxicities of
agents involving chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, favipiravir, lopiravir/ritonavir, sarilumab,
tocilizumab, siltuximab, corticosteroids and bromhexine which are the most frequently
used in Turkey and all over the world will be summarized.
Conclusion: Among these drugs, favipiravir seems the most promising drug due to more tolerable
adverse effects. More clinical trials with large sample sizes are needed to find the most effective
and safe drug for COVID-19 treatment.
