Acute respiratory distress syndrome in COVID-19: possible mechanisms and therapeutic management

Table 1 Drugs used for COVID-19 respiratory distress

drug	Type of drug	mechanism of action	references
Remdesivir	antiviral drug	Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase	[40]
Favipiravir		targets RNA-dependent RNA polymerase enzymes	[41]
Lopinavir/Ritonavir		Inhibitors of the HIV protease	[42]
chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine		The precise mechanisms of action are unknown	[43]
Losartan		Angiotensin II receptor blocker, could prevent COVID-19 viral entry	[39]
dexamethasone	Immunomodulatory drug	Corticosteroid, suppress inflammatory reactions	[44]
methylprednisolone		Glucocorticoid, has anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects	[45]
Tocilizumab		interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor, prevents the cytokine storm and dampens the inflammatory response	[46]
Baricitinib		JAK inhibitors, prevent the cytokine storm and dampen the inflammatory response	[47]
Ruxolitinib			[48]
heparin	Anticoagulant drug	binds to antithrombin III (AT-III)	[49]
Alteplase	Anticoagulant drug	Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), breaks down blood clots	[50]
Pirfenidone	Anti-fibrotic drug	reduces fibroblast proliferation	[51]
Vadadustat	Anti anaemic drug	acts as a HIF prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitor	[52]