Background:
An outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection or
COVID 19, causing serious threats to all around the world. Until an effective and safe vaccine for novel coronavirus is developed by scientists, current drug therapy should by optimize for the control and treatment of COVID 19.
Objective:
In this manuscript, we are presenting a perspective on possible benefits of reformulating antiviral drug dosage
form with nanoemulsion system against novel coronavirus infection.
Methods:
Literature review has been done on COVID 19, treatment strategies, novel drug delivery systems and role of pulmonary surfactant on lungs protection.
Results:
Nanoemulsion system and its components have certain biophysical properties which could increase the efficacy of
drug therapy. Antiviral drugs, delivered through a nanoemulsion system containing P-gp inhibitor (surfactant and cosolvent), can inhibit the cellular resistance to drugs and would potentiate the antiviral action of drugs. Pulmonary surfactant
(PS) assisted antiviral drug delivery by nanoemulsion system could be another effective approach for the treatment of
COVID 19. Use of functional excipients like pulmonary surfactant (PS) and surfactant proteins (SPs), in the formulation of
the antiviral drug-loaded nanoemulsion system can improve the treatment of coronavirus infection.
Conclusion:
In our opinion for synergizing antiviral action, lipid and protein portion of PS and their commercial analogs
should be explored by pharmaceutical scientists to use them as a functional excipient in the formulation of antiviral drugloaded nanoemulsion system.
Primary structure of rat pulmonary surfactant protein D. cDNA and deduced amino acid sequence.
