TITLE:
Macrolide-Clarithromycin Task-Force for the Treatment and Prophylaxis of Covid-19 as a Single Agent
AUTHORS:
Eduardo Mansilla, Ricardo Rangel Martínez, Gustavo Horacio Marín, Idiberto Zotarelli Filho, Elsa Rivas, Jaime Rivas, Katherine Athayde Teixeira de Carvalho, Mohammad Reza Dayer, Alí Samadikuchaksaraei
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19, Macrolides, Clarithromycin, Single Agent, Therapy, Prophylaxis
JOURNAL NAME:
Pharmacology & Pharmacy,
Vol.11 No.6,
June
18,
2020
ABSTRACT: SARS-CoV-2 is a novel RNA coronavirus responsible of
a deadly pandemic: the clinical illness COVID-19. With only one authorized drug
for emergency use in critically ill patients: Remdesivir, there is not any
other approved drug or vaccine yet with proven potential to overcome this
infection. We exposed here many scientific evidences to support our novel idea
that a macrolide, basically Clarithromycin, could be effective as a single
agent for treatment and prophylaxis of COVID-19. Clarithromycin could change
the history of this pandemic. It could reduce the costs of treatment and the
potential adverse effects when combining more than one drug such as with
Hydroxychloroquine. Clarithromycin treatment and prophylaxis as a single agent
could be much more simple, safe and cheaper as giving Chloroquine or
Hydroxychloroquine alone or in combination with Azithromycin as well as other
therapeutic options.