Pentoxifylline: A Drug with Antiviral and Anti-Inflammatory Effects to Be Considered in the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019

In December 2019, a new coronavirus, named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged from China, causing pneumonia outbreaks first in the Wuhan region and has now spread worldwide. There are no specific drugs for the disease caused by this virus, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Considering that new synthesized drugs cannot be applied immediately to patients, conventional drug in new use is a feasible solution. Chloroquine, remdesivir, favipiravir, lopinavir, ribavirin, and ritonavir have shown efficacy to inhibit coronavirus in vitro. Pentoxifylline, a drug with anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and bronchodilatory effects, has previously been shown to inhibit several viral infections. Immunological studies have shown that most patients with severe COVID-19 exhibit substantially elevated serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Pentoxifylline is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor that increases the levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, which in turn activates protein kinase, leading to a reduction in the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines and immune cell migration. Here, we propose pentoxifylline, a drug with low cost and toxicity, as a possible treatment for COVID-19 based on its interesting properties.