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Review
. 2021 Jul;203(5):2043-2057.
doi: 10.1007/s00203-021-02183-z. Epub 2021 Feb 8.

COVID-19: molecular pathophysiology, genetic evolution and prospective therapeutics-a review

C T Dhanya Raj #  1 , Dinesh Kumar Kandaswamy #  2   3 , Ravi Chandra Sekhara Reddy Danduga #  4 , Raju Rajasabapathy #  1 , Rathinam Arthur James  5
Affiliations
Review

COVID-19: molecular pathophysiology, genetic evolution and prospective therapeutics-a review

C T Dhanya Raj et al. Arch Microbiol. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic is highly contagious and has spread rapidly across the globe. To date there have been no specific treatment options available for this life-threatening disease. During this medical emergency, target-based drug repositioning/repurposing with a continuous monitoring and recording of results is an effective method for the treatment and drug discovery. This review summarizes the recent findings on COVID-19, its genomic organization, molecular evolution through phylogenetic analysis and has recapitulated the drug targets by analyzing the viral molecular machinery as drug targets and repurposing of most frequently used drugs worldwide and their therapeutic applications in COVID-19. Data from solidarity trials have shown that the treatment with Chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir-ritonavir had no effect in reducing the mortality rate and also had adverse side effects. Remdesivir, Favipiravir and Ribavirin might be a safer therapeutic option for COVID-19. Recent clinical trial has revealed that dexamethasone and convalescent plasma treatment can reduce mortality in patients with severe forms of COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Dexamethasone; Drug repositioning/repurposing; Favipiravir; Molecular targets; Remdesivir; Ribavarin.

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Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have any conflict of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Structure of corona virus, reproduced from Li
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Genome organization of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS. Reproduced from Mousavizadeh and Ghasemi
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Phylogenomic tree inferred using the formula D6 (GBDP_Trimming_D6_FASTME). The numbers above branches are bootstrap support values from 100 replications
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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