Pharmacological treatments of COVID-19.

The viral infection due to the new coronavirus or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was reported for the first time in December 2019, was named by the World Health Organization (WHO) as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2), because of the very similar genome and also its related symptoms to SARS-CoV1. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with significant mortality, morbidity, and socioeconomic impact is considered by the WHO as a global public health emergency. Since there is no specific treatment available for SARS-CoV2 infection, and or COVID-19, several clinical and sub-clinical studies are currently undertaken to find a gold-standard therapeutic regimen with high efficacy and low side effect. Based on the published scientific evidence published to date, we summarized herein the effects of different potential therapies and up-to-date clinical trials. The review is intended to help readers aware of potentially effective COVID-19 treatment and provide useful references for future studies.

Development of a PCR-RFLP method for detection of D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2.

In late 2019, an outbreak of respiratory disease named COVID-19 started in the world. To date, thousands of cases of infection are reported worldwide. Most researchers focused on epidemiology and clinical features of COVID-19, and a small part of studies was performed to evaluate the genetic characteristics of this virus. Regarding the high price and low availability of sequencing techniques in developing countries, here we describe a rapid and inexpensive method for the detection of D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2. Using bioinformatics databases and software, we designed the PCR-RFLP method for D614G mutation detection. We evaluated 144 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples isolated in six months in Northeastern Iran. Our results showed that the prevalent type is S-D in our isolates, and a small number of isolated belongs to the S-G type. Of 144 samples, 127 (88.2%) samples have belonged to type S-D, and 13 (9%) samples typed S-G. The first S-G type was detected on 2020 June 10. We have little information about the prevalence of D614G mutation, and it seems that the reason is the lack of cheap and fast methods. We hope that this method will provide more information on the prevalence and epidemiology of D614G mutations worldwide.

The prophylaxis and treatment potential of supplements for COVID-19.

The global impact of the new coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), infection that caused COVID-19 has been evident in the last few months from the unprecedented socioeconomic disruption to more than 600,000 deaths. The lack of vaccine and effective therapeutic agents for the disease prompted world-wide effort to test those antiviral therapeutics already in use for other diseases. Another interesting approach has been based on the pathological sequel of the disease that involve severe inflammatory reaction (or the cytokine storm) associated with pneumonia in critically ill patients. This article outlines the prophylaxis therapeutic potential of supplements vitamins and micronutrients in COVID-19. By ameliorating the inflammatory and oxidative stress associated with the disease and some direct antiviral effects, the application of these agents as adjuvants and other alternative approaches are discussed. Available clinical trials including those currently registered on these supplements are scrutinized.