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Table 2 Summary of some drugs that can be repurposed for management of COVID-19

From: Battling COVID-19: using old weapons for a new enemy

Name

Mechanism of action

In-vitro studies

In-vivo studies

SARS

MERS

SARS-CoV-2

Others

SARS

MERS

SARS-CoV-2

Others

Alisporivir

Cyclophilin mediated inhibition of viral replication

Completely blocked replication [10].

Inhibit cytopathic effect of virus in cell culture [10].

No studies

HCoV-229E [11], hepatitis C [12], hepatitis B [13], flaviviruses [14]

Not effective in mouse model [10]

No animal model studies

No studies

Effective in HCV

Arbidol (Umifenovir)

Intercalation into membrane lipids- inhibition of membrane fusion [15]

In-vitro effectiveness

No studies

In-vitro effectiveness

Influenza, Hepatitis C, Flaviviruses [15]

No studies

No studies

Combined arbidol and LPV/r better than LPV/r alone [16]

Prophylaxis and treatment of influenza [15]

Auranofin [17, 18]

Cellular oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory

No studies

No studies

In-vitro effective

HIV

No studies

No studies

No studies

No studies

Doxycycline

Chelation of matrix metalloproteinase [19]

Anti-inflammatory

No studies

No studies

In-vitro effective [20]

Dengue, Chikungunya, Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever, HIV

No studies

No studies

No studies

Dengue [21]

Isoprinosine or Inosine-pranobex

Immunomodulatory drug with antiviral activity [22, 23]

No studies

No studies

No studies

Influenza, parainfluenza virus, rhinovirus, adenovirus [22,23,24,25]

No studies

No studies

No studies

Animal and human studies- influenza [25,26,27,28,29]

Interferon

Immunomodulatory action leading to antiviral state

Potent antiviral effects seen [30, 31].

Effective in inhibiting cytopathogenic effects [32].

No studies

Effective in inhibiting SARS related CoV [33]

Not effective [34].

Animal model suggests benefit [35] but Clinical data does not [36, 37].

No studies

 

Nitric oxide donor compounds*

Inhibits viral replication

Inhibits replication of SARS virus [38]

No studies

No studies

Japanese encephalitis [39] and flaviviruses [40]

InhaledNO improved arterial in patients with SARS [41]

No studies

No Studies

Decreased severity of Coxsackie myocarditis [42]

Oseltamavir

Neuraminidase inhibitor

Not effective [31]

No studies

No studies

Influenza

No studies

No studies

No studies

Influenza

Teicoplanin

Inhibits viral entry via by inhibiting the enzymatic action of Cathepsin L [43].

Blocks viral entry [43]

Blocks viral entry [43]

Blocks viral entry [44].

Ebola [43], HCV [45], Flaviviruses, Influenza, HIV [46,47,48]

No studies

No studies

No studies

No studies

  1. *Includes inhaled NO, S-Nitroso N acetyl penicillamine, Glycyrrhizin