New research published in the British Journal of Pharmacology suggests that two drugs currently available – an antifungal agent and an antidepressant – can effectively inhibit the virus that causes COVID-19 in laboratory cells.
Investigators found that the antifungal itraconazole and the antidepressant fluoxetine blocked the production of infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus in cell culture tests. When one of the drugs was used in combination with the antiviral drug inhibitor, the combination showed synergistic effects and stopped the production of SARS-CoV-2 by more than 90%.
Preventative vaccination and therapeutic drugs against COVID-19 are both needed to effectively combat pandemics caused by emerging zoonotic viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. “
Ursula Rescher, PhD, Study Author, University of Münster, Germany
Source:
Magazine reference:
Schloer, S., et al. (2021) Medicine synergy of combination treatment with inhibitor and the reused drugs fluoxetine and itraconazole effectively harms SARS – CoV – 2 infection in vitro. British Journal of Pharmacology. doi.org/10.1111/bph.15418.