Quinacrine as a potential treatment for COVID-19 virus infection

• Published in: European review for medical and pharmacological sciences Vol. 25; no. 1; p. 556
• Main Authors: Pineda, B, Pérez de la Cruz, V, Hernández Pando, R, Sotelo, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy 01-01-2021
• Subjects: Animals; Antiviral Agents - administration & dosage; Antiviral Agents - adverse effects; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Cell Line; COVID-19 - drug therapy; COVID-19 - immunology; Cytokine Release Syndrome - immunology; Cytokine Release Syndrome - prevention & control; Cytokines - immunology; Humans; Mice; Quinacrine - administration & dosage; Quinacrine - adverse effects; Quinacrine - pharmacology; SARS-CoV-2 - drug effects; Virus Replication - drug effects
• ISSN: 2284-0729
• DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202101_24428

A novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a current outbreak of infection termed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO). COVID-19 is currently a global pandemic that may cause close to half a billion deaths around the world. Until now, there is no effective treatment for COVID-19. Quinacrine (Qx) has been used since the 1930s as preventive antimalarial compound. It is a recognized small molecule inhibitor of RNA virus replication, with known anti-prion activity, and identified as a potent Ebola virus inhibitor both in vitro and in vivo. Recently, Qx has showed anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Herein, we review the potential mechanisms associated with quinacrine as an antiviral compound.