Volume 7 • 2020 • Issue 7

Review of the Proposed Pharmacological Treatments for COVID-19 Dr. Aviv Ouanounou Dental pharmacologist, assistant professor at the University of Toronto, practising dentist, and corresponding author of “COVID-19: A Review of the Proposed Pharmacological Treatments” with co-authors Sarah Lam and Andrew Lombardi. 1 C oronaviruses belongs to a large family of viruses called the coronaviridae, several of which circulate within the human population and commonly target the upper respiratory system, usually resulting in a mild infection such as the common cold. SARS-CoV-2 can cause more severe illness, which may result in death. SARS-CoV-2 is a single strand RNA envelope virus that depends on its structural spike to bind with and enter a host cell. This binding is dependent on enzymes that help the virus enter the cell. Once inside the cell, the virus hijacks the host machinery for viral replication. Viral infection of the body can then bring about what is known as a “cytokine storm,” a host immune response characterized by high concentrations of pro‑inflammatory cytokines. This creates excess inflammation that contributes to the severity and pathogenesis of COVID-19. “Understanding the mechanism of transmissibility and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 is important because it will allow researchers to identify specific therapeutic agents to prevent or treat COVID-19,” says Dr. Ouanounou. Potential Therapies Currently, there is no vaccine or specific therapeutic drug to treat COVID-19, other than supportive treatments. However, existing drugs used to combat other viral infections are being repurposed in an attempt to find an effective therapy. Many clinical trials are ongoing to determine the efficacy of these drugs. Reference: 1. Lam S, Lombardi A, Ouanounou A. COVID-19: A review of the proposed pharmacological treatments. Eur J Pharmacol . 2020;886:173451. Available: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7406477 Currently, there is no vaccine or specific therapeutic drug to treat COVID-19, other than supportive treatments. 32 | 2020 | Issue 7