The Situation of Small Molecules Targeting Key Proteins in combatting SARS-CoV-2: Synthesis, Metabolic Pathway, Mechanism of Action, and Potential Therapeutic Applications

Abstract: Due to the high mortality rate of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, there is an immediate need to discover drugs that can help before a vaccine becomes available. Given that the process of producing new drugs is so long, the strategy of repurposing existing drugs is one of the promising options for the urgent treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. Although FDA has approved Remdesivir for the use in hospitalized adults and pediatric patients suffering from COVID-19, no fully effective and reliable drug has been yet identified worldwide to treat COVID-19 specifically. Thus, scientists are still trying to find antivirals specific to COVID-19. This work reviews the chemical structure, metabolic pathway, and mechanism of action of the existing drugs with potential therapeutic applications for COVID-19. Furthermore, we summarized the molecular docking stimulation of the medications related to key protein targets. These already established drugs could be further developed, and after their testing through clinical trials, they could be used as suitable therapeutic options for patients suffering from COVID-19.