Clinical value of diammonium glycyrrhizinate in treatment of COVID-19

ABSTRACT

To determine the clinical value of diammonium glycyrrhizinate (DG) in treatment of patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP). According to the random-number method, 104 NCP patients were divided equally into control group and observation group in our hospital. In the control group, patients were treated according to the Pneumonia diagnosis and treatment scheme for new coronavirus infection (trial version 5). In the observation group, patients were administered DG enteric capsules (150 mg, t.d.s.). All patients were treated continuously for 2 weeks. The clinical effects in both groups were observed. Levels of inflammation indicators [C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL) -4, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -a] and immune-function indicators [cluster of differentiation (CD)3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+] were compared between the two groups. Adverse reactions were documented. The prevalence of cure [19.23% (10/52) vs. 7.69% (4/ 52)], significant efficacy [28.85% (15/52) vs. 17.31% (9/52)] and total efficacy [61.54% (32/52) vs. 40.38% (20/52)] of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05 for all). After treatment, the serum levels of CRP [(1.90 +or- 085) vs. (3.26 +or- 1.63) mg/L], IL-4 [(21.35 +or- 8.90) vs. (26.24 +or- 9.16) pg/mL], and TNF-a [(4.85 +or- 2.15) vs. (7.97 +or- 3.36) pg/mL] of the observation group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05 for all). The levels of CD3+ [(6630 +or- 8.83)% vs. (54.19 +or- 7.79)%], CD4+ [(39.42 +or- 4.72)% vs, (33.18 +or- 4.10)%], CD8+ [(28.14 +or- 4.22)% vs. (23.39 +or- 3.88)%], and CD4+/CD8+ [(1.62+or- 043) vs. (1.21 +or- 0.29)] of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05 for all). The prevalence of adverse reactions [15.38% (8/52) vs. 28.85% (15/52)] of the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). DG has a significant clinical effect and a good safety profile for NCP treatment.