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Research conducted at the KU Leuven Rega Institute in Belgium has found that the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) doesn’t limit the multiplication of the novel coronavirus. However, a very high dose of the flu drug favipiravir does have antiviral efficacy, according to their results.
The researchers gave the hamsters either hydroxychloroquine or favipiravir for four to five days, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) of america. Hamsters are often chosen as test subjects because they closely resemble the human body’s response to an experimental medication.
Importantly, significant improvements of histological lung pathology were observed in hamsters treated with the moderate and high doses of favipiravir,” the analysis said.
However, the results with HCQ treatment were not positive, when given in isolation or combined with other medication. Independently, the treatment provided less improvement than even low doses of favipiravir. When admininistered with azithromycin, no additional reduction of viral RNA was detected, said the analysis.
“Despite the absence of clear evidence in animal models or clinical studies, many COVID-19 patients have been treated with hydroxychloroquine,” Joanna Rocha-Pereira, one of the researchers, told BusinessLine. The team advised against further exploring the use of hydroxychloroquine for a remedy against COVID-19.
