POTENTIAL DRUG CANDIDATES FOR TREATMENT OF COVID-19

The late December of 2019 witnessed an outbreak of viral pneumonia of unknown etiology (VPUE) in the Wuhan city of Hubei province, China. Later it was identified as a novel strain of β-genus Coronavirus, which is similar to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus, which was a global pandemic during 2002-03. This novel coronavirus is rapidly spreading with an R0 of 2 and has an incubation period of 2-14 days. It spreads through human-to-human transmission and by fomites (articles and surfaces contaminated by affected persons). The World Health Organization acted immediately to prevent the spread of the virus by declaring it as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). It has been declared as a pandemic, and several sets of guidelines have been issued by WHO, including social distancing norms and hygiene practices yet, this novel coronavirus continues to spread at an alarming rate leading to many fatalities across the globe. Since this novel coronavirus shares similar characteristics with other coronaviruses, some of the known treatment options can be reused in the treatment of this novel coronavirus. As of now, no vaccine has been approved for the prevention of this rapidly spreading novel coronavirus. Hence, the management of affected persons with the available treatment options becomes indispensable. This article briefs about the treatment options available, which include antiviral drugs like Remdesivir, Ribavarin, anti-retroviral drugs like Lopinavir and Ritonavir, antimalarial drugs like Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine, Tocilizumab, Ivermectin, and also traditional medicine.