Drugs being tested against covid-19 to slow down its spread and find effective treatment: A systematic review.

Arsalan Rasheed; Μalaika Νοοr; Τahir Usman; Rizwana Bilqees; Muhammad Afnan; Saira Gul; Naimat Ullah Khan; Saadullah Khattak; Irfan Khattak; Assar Ali Shah

doi:10.29052/IJEHSR.v10.i2.2022.255-272

Arsalan Rasheed Department of Zoology, Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8576-9289
Μalaika Νοοr Department of Zoology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0063-687X
Τahir Usman College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8192-5800
Rizwana Bilqees Department of Botany, University of Chitral, Chitral-Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9727-212X
Muhammad Afnan Khyber Medical Institute of Medical Sciences Kohat, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9273-3364
Saira Gul College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan:
Naimat Ullah Khan College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2023-8473
Saadullah Khattak Henan International Joint Laboratory for Nuclear Protein Regulation, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng-China. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6798-2991
Irfan Khattak College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1995-8038
Assar Ali Shah Tropical Feed Resources Research and Development Center, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen-Thailand. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2546-187X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.29052/IJEHSR.v10.i2.2022.255-272

Keywords: Systematic Review, Coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, COVID-19, Drugs, Treatment, Clinical Science.

Abstract

Background: The SARS-COV-2's spread from continent to the continent has resulted in an increased number of mutations in the viral gene encoding proteins. As a result, mutations in target proteins provide a significant challenge in creating antiviral drugs and vaccines. The present review discussed the COVID-19 epidemiology and the effects of drugs being tested against COVID-19/SARS-COV-2. Dosage of these drugs along with associated challenges was also discussed.

Methodology: Systematic review was conducted after a thorough search in the "PubMed, NIH, Elsevier, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar database. 45 studies on drugs associated with COVID-19 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were selected for this review.

Results: The FDA only accepted the Remdesivir drug against SARS-COV-2, as the hospitalized patients recovered very quickly by taking it. Antiviral EIDD-2801 has been found to make the SARS-COV-2 unable to infect cells by causing genetic modifications in the virus RNA. Similarly, Nitazoxanide appeared beneficial against SARS-COV-2 in a primary intervention and severe conditions (including pregnancy) without undesirable effects on the newborns. Children with mild cases can be handled solely by proper caring.

Conclusion: Although Remdesivir and Dexamethasone are recommended in severe cases, clinical trials are ongoing to investigate other possible therapies like MAb and Convalescent Plasma antibodies for COVID-19. Older drugs (usually used to treat other conditions) are also under-tested by researchers to see if they are effective for COVID-19. Further tests are essential to validate whether any of the mentioned above possible therapies would be helpful for COVID-19 treatment.

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