Drug Discovery Strategies To Fight COVID-19

• Chloroquine & Hydroxychloroquine: COVID-19
• Pharmacology & Therapeutics in pregnancy with COVID-19

Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug. In China and France, some studies provided some indications of possible benefits against pneumonia caused by COVID-19 but need confirmation through randomized trials.

There are many trials going on now to test the efficacy of these drugs. Mechanism of action of hydroxychloroquine includes multiple effects including reduced cytokine production, inhibits immune activation and also interferes with lysosomal activity and membrane stability.

Chloroquine was discovered in 1934 by Hans AndersagIt is usually available as a generic medication. Common side effects include muscle problems, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, and skin rash and serious side effects include problems with vision, muscle damage, seizures, and low blood cell levels. It is a member of the drug class 4-aminoquinoline.

During pregnancy, a woman undergoes with multiple interactions with the health care system that increases her chance of getting infected. So therefore, managing pregnant population presents a unique challenge during COVID-19. The physiological changes and partial immune suppression during pregnancy makes pregnant women and new-born babies susceptible to several infections. Post-partum haemorrhage, maternal sepsis, preeclampsia, and premature rupture of membrane are the most common COVID-19-induced adverse events reported among pregnant women.