The Coronavirus Remedy was Successfully Tested in France

Mar 24, 2020 — Updated: In general, studies on anti-coronavirus drugs have been developed around two classes of drugs: remdesivir and antimalarial drugs, namely chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine.

The coronavirus remedy was successfully tested in France

In laboratory experiments, all three drugs showed activity against SARS-CoV-2 and chloroquine is currently used as the recommended antiviral to treat COVID-19 in China. However, to put any drug into practice, clinical trials are needed.

French scientists conducted the first clinical studies on the effectiveness of using hydroxychloroquine separately and in combination with azithromycin antibiotic to treat COVID-19 at the Méditerranée Infection Infectious Hospital facility. of Marseille University Hospital.

The study involved 36 adult patients, with both COVID-19 symptoms and asymptomatic individuals, who were confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 infection using a nasopharyngeal swab sample. Those who did not agree to use the new drug were placed in the control group of 16 people, who were still treated with the same regimen as before, that is, symptomatic treatment and antibiotics to prevent bacterial superinfection.

The remaining 14 patients took 200 milligrams of hydroxychloroquine sulfate three times daily for 10 days. Six of them, in addition to hydroxychloroquine, were given 500 milligrams of azithromycin daily for the first two days to prevent superinfection, then 250 milligrams for four days. All six patients received a good combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin. Every day they take an electrocardiogram to make sure there are no side effects on the heart.

Right on the fifth day, in all six patients, coronavirus tests were negative, the results were confirmed in the following days. Thus, all patients with COVID-19 in the experimental group were cured completely within five days.

The scientists noted that, despite the fact that the trial group was small and to confirm the results, larger clinical trials were needed, but the results were encouraging.

The results of this study have been published in the International Magazine of Antimicrobial Agents.

Sputnik