Diverse effects of clarithromycin and proposal of its clinical application for treating COVID-19 as a repurposing drug
https://doi.org/10.47665/tb.38.3.077
- Author:
Takemori, N.
1
;
Ooi, H.K.
2
,
3
;
Imai, G.
4
;
Saio, M.
5
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Imai Hospital, Tanaka-cho 100, Ashikaga, Tochigi 326-0822, Japan
2. Yamazaki University of Animal Health Technology, 4-7-2 Minami-osawa, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0364, Japan&
3. Laboratory of Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan
4. Department of Internal Medicine, Imai Hospital, Tanaka-cho 100, Ashikaga, Tochigi 326-0822, Japan
5. Laboratory of Histopathology and Cytopathology, Department of Laboratory Sciences, Gunma University, Graduate School of Health Sciences, 39-22, 3-chome, Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8514, Japan
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
COVID-19;
clarithromycin;
diverse effect;
treatment;
SARS-CoV-2
- From:Tropical Biomedicine
2021;38(No.3):343-352
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has been declared a pandemic, which is a serious threat to human
health. The disease was named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Until now, several
vaccines and a few drugs have been approved for the prevention and treatment for COVID-19.
Recently, the effect of some macrolides including clarithromycin (CAM) on COVID-19 has
attracted attention. CAM is known to have diverse effects including immunomodulatory and
immunosuppressive effects, autophagy inhibition, steroid sparing effect, reversibility of
drug resistance, antineoplastic effect, antiviral effect as well as bacteriostatic/bactericidal
effect. Many patients with COVID-19 died due to an overwhelming response of their own
immune system characterized by the uncontrolled release of circulating inflammatory
cytokines (cytokine release syndrome [CRS]). This CRS plays a major role in progressing
pneumonia to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in COVID-19 patients. It is
noteworthy that CAM can suppress inflammatory cytokines responsible for CRS and also has
anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect. Considering the rapidly progressive global disease burden of COVID-
19, the application of CAM for treating COVID-19 needs to be urgently evaluated. Recently, an
open-labeled non-randomized trial using CAM for treating COVID-19 (ACHIEVE) was initiated
in Greece in May, 2020. Its results, though preprint, indicated that CAM treatment of patients
with moderate COVID-19 was associated with early clinical improvement and containment
of viral load. Thus, treatment with CAM as a single agent or combined with other anti-SARSCoV-
2 drugs should be tried for treating COVID-19. In this article, we discussed the significance
and usefulness of CAM in treating COVID-19.
- Full text:8.2021my1275.pdf
