Table 1 Drugs used to treat COVID-19 and corresponding information

Interferon α (IFN-α)

Hindering virus replication

5 million U, 2 times/day for adults

Inhalation

[17, 51]

Lopinavir/ritonavir

Inhibiting cytochrome P450 functions

200 mg/50 mg/capsule, 2 capsules each time, 2 times/day

Orally

[16, 17]

Chloroquine phosphate

Binding to the nuclear protein, thus preventing transcription of RNA

500 mg (300 mg for chloroquine) for adults, 2 times/day

Orally

[1, 52]

Hydroxychloroquine

Increasing endosomal pH, preventing virus–cell fusion, and interfering with glycosylation of the ACE2 receptor

800 mg once daily on day 1, followed by 200 mg twice daily for 7 days

Orally

[27, 53]

Dexamethasone

Inhibiting a proinflammatory gene being responsible for encoding chemokines, cytokines, and cell adhesion molecules (CAM)

6 mg once daily for up to 10 days

Orally, intravenous

[34, 54]

Budesonide

Decreasing the level of both IL-6 and antiphospholipid antibodies

800 mcg BID (FDA approved max. 720 mcg BID)

Inhalation

[42, 55]

Ribavirin (tribavirin)

Inhibiting viral replication

500 mg for adults, 2 to 3 times/day

Intravenous infusion

[16, 56]

Arbidol

Hampering entry of viral genes into the nucleus and blocking trimerization of S protein

200 mg for adults, 3 times/day

Orally

[57, 58]

Remdesivir

Binding to RdRp and acting as an RNA chain terminator

200 mg, loading dose on day 1, followed by 100 mg IV daily for up to 10 days, infused over 30–60 min

Intravenous infusion

[29]

Ciclesonide

Blocking viral replication

320 µg twice daily

Inhalation

[59]

Favipiravir

Acting as a RdRp inhibitor, and hindering both the replication and transcription of the viral RNA chain

1800 mg twice a day on day 1, followed by 800 mg twice a day maximum up to 14 days

Orally

[60]

Paxlovid

Inhibiting viral replication

300 mg nirmatrelvir (two 150 mg tablets twice daily for 5 days)

Orally

[45, 46]

Molnupiravir (Lagevrio/Molulife)

Inhibiting replication of RNA viruses

Four 200 mg capsules every 12 h for 5 days, for a total of 40 capsules

Orally

[47, 48]

Monoclonal antibodies (bebtelovimab)

Preventing target cell binding and/or fusion and facilitating target cell death

175 mg given as an intravenous injection over at least 30 s

Intravenous

[50, 61]