Arbidol for preventing and treating influenza in adults and children

The situation of small molecules targeting key proteins to combat SARS-CoV-2: Synthesis, metabolic pathway, mechanism of action, and potential therapeutic applications

Due to the global epidemic and high mortality of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), there is an immediate need to discover drugs that can help before a vaccine becomes available. Given that the process of producing new drugs is so long, the strategy of repurposing existing drugs is one of the promising options for the urgent treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. Although FDA has approved Remdesivir for the use in hospitalized adults and pediatric patients suffering from COVID-19, no fully effective and reliable drug has been yet identified worldwide to treat COVID-19 specifically. Thus, scientists are still trying to find antivirals specific to COVID-19. This work reviews the chemical structure, metabolic pathway, mechanism of action of existing drugs with potential therapeutic applications for COVID-19. Further, we summarized the molecular docking stimulation of the medications related to key protein targets. These already drugs could be developed for further clinical trials to supply suitable therapeutic options for patients suffering from COVID-19.

Understanding COVID-19 Pandemic: Molecular Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutic Strategies. An Evidence-Based Review

Initially, the SARS-CoV-2 virus was considered as a pneumonia virus; however, a series of peer reviewed medical papers published in the last eight months suggest that this virus attacks the brain, heart, intestine, nervous and vascular systems, as well the blood stream. Although many facts remain unknown, an objective appraisal of the current scientific literature addressing the latest progress on COVID-19 is required. The aim of the present study was to conduct a critical review of the literature, focusing on the current molecular structure of SARS-CoV-2 and prospective treatment modalities of COVID-19. The main objectives were to collect, scrutinize and objectively evaluate the current scientific evidence-based information, as well to provide an updated overview of the topic that is ongoing. The authors underlined potential prospective therapies, including vaccine and phototherapy, as a monotherapy or combined with current treatment modalities. The authors concluded that this review has produced high quality evidence, which can be utilized by the clinical scientific community for future reference, as the knowledge and understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are evolving, in terms of its epidemiological, pathogenicity, and clinical manifestations, which ultimately map the strategic path, towards an effective and safe treatment and production of a reliable and potent vaccine.

Recent Developments on Therapeutic and Diagnostic Approaches for COVID-19

The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has made a serious public health threat worldwide with millions of people at risk in a growing number of countries. Though there are no clinically approved antiviral drugs and vaccines for COVID-19, attempts are ongoing for clinical trials of several known antiviral drugs, their combination, as well as development of vaccines in patients with confirmed COVID-19. This review focuses on the latest approaches to diagnostics and therapy of COVID-19. We have summarized recent progress on the conventional therapeutics such as antiviral drugs, vaccines, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody treatments, and convalescent plasma therapy which are currently under extensive research and clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19. The developments of nanoparticle-based therapeutic and diagnostic approaches have been also discussed for COVID-19. We have assessed recent literature data on this topic and made a summary of current development and future perspectives.

Potential role of interferons in treating COVID-19 patients

The recently public health crises in the world is emerged by spreading the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) also named COVID-19. The virus is originated in bats and transported to humans via undefined intermediate animals. This virus can produce from weak to severe respiratory diseases including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), pneumonia and even death in patients. The COVID-19 disease is distributed by inhalation via contaminated droplets or contact with infected environment. The incubation time is from 2 to 14 day and the symptoms are typically fever, sore throat, cough, malaise, fatigue, breathlessness among others. It needs to be considered that many infected people are asymptomatic. Developing various immunological and virological methods to diagnose this disease is supported by several laboratories. Treatment is principally supportive; however, there are several agents that are using in treating of COVID-19 patients. Interferons (IFNs) have shown to be crucial in fighting with COVID-19 disease and can be a suitable candidate in treatment of these patients. Combination therapy can be more effective than monotherapy to cure this disease. Prevention necessitates to be performed by isolation of suspected people and home quarantine as well as taking care to infected people with mild or strict disease at hospitals. As the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has accelerated, developing effective therapy is an urgent requirement to battle the virus and prevent further pandemic. In this manuscript we reviewed available information about SARS-CoV-2 and probable therapies for COVID-19 patients.

Emerging Molecular Prospective of SARS-CoV-2: Feasible Nanotechnology Based Detection and Inhibition

The rapid dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 demonstrates how vulnerable it can make communities and is why it has attained the status of global pandemic. According to the estimation from Worldometer, the SARS-CoV-2 affected cases and deaths are exponentially increasing worldwide, marking the mortality rate as ∼3.8% with no probability of its cessation till now. Despite massive attempts and races among scientific communities in search of proper therapeutic options, the termination of this breakneck outbreak of COVID-19 has still not been made possible. Therefore, this review highlights the diverse molecular events induced by a viral infection, such as autophagy, unfolded protein response (UPR), and inflammasome, illustrating the intracellular cascades regulating viral replication inside the host cell. The SARS-CoV-2-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis are also emphasized in the review. Additionally, host's immune response associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as the genetic and epigenetic changes, have been demonstrated, which altogether impart a better understanding of its epidemiology. Considering the drawbacks of available diagnostics and medications, herein we have presented the most sensitive nano-based biosensors for the rapid detection of viral components. Moreover, conceptualizing the viral-induced molecular changes inside its target cells, nano-based antiviral systems have also been proposed in this review.

Clinical efficacy of acute respiratory viral infections prevention in patients with chronic heart failure

AIM

The aim of the study was to evaluate the ARVI prevention effectiveness in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) using interferon inducer amixin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Conducted a comprehensive survey, dynamic monitoring and treatment of 60 patients aged from 49 to 70 years (mean age 60.25±4.57 years, 17 men and 43 women) with CHF with preserved ejection fraction of left ventricle (LVEF) (≥50%), II-III functional class (FC) according to the classification of new York Heart Association (NYHA), which developed as a result of coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertensive disease (HD). Of these, 30 patients (group 1) on the background of standard therapy for CHF received for the prevention of ARVI tiloron (Amixin) at a dose of 125 mg once a week for 6 weeks, two courses for 1 year. Group 2 patients received only standard therapy for CHF.

RESULTS

A decrease in the frequency of ARVI in patients with CHF treated with Amixin was found, which was accompanied by a decrease in the severity of subclinical inflammation by reducing the production of proinflammatory (IL-1β) and increasing the production of anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines, reducing neurohumoral activation (reducing levels of aldosterone and Nt-proBNP), increasing the level of α- and γ-interferon. The positive dynamics of biomarkers of systemic inflammation and neurohormonal activation explains the improvement of the clinical course in patients with CHF (increase of tolerance to physical loads, reducing the number of visits to General practitioner and hospital admissions in the hospital during 12 months of observation).

CONCLUSION

A promising approach to the prevention of SARS in patients with CHF is course therapy with Amixin (2 times a year before the seasonal rising in the incidence of respiratory viral infections and influenza), which allows to achieve both decreasing in the frequency of SARS per year, and improvement the clinical course of CHF.