Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are dangerous during COVID-19 and can interfere with the immune system’s fight against coronavirus. This is the conclusion reached by scientists at the Yale University School of Medicine in the United States. Their article was published in the Journal of Virology.
NSAIDs are known to inhibit the activity of the enzymes cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-1 and COX-2), which mediate the production of prostaglandins, which play various biological roles in inflammatory responses. As a result, the drugs can potentially affect the body’s susceptibility to infection, how the virus multiplies within cells, and how the immune system works.
The results of experiments using human cell cultures and a mouse model showed that the popular ibuprofen and meloxicam did not affect the expression of ACE2 proteins, penetration of the virus into cells or its replication. However, the drugs reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and impaired the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2, which resulted in a decrease in the level of neutralizing antibodies.
Thus, the anti-inflammatory activity of NSAIDs can be detrimental in the early stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection, because at this stage, inflammatory responses help fight the infection. However, in the later stages of COVID-19, drugs can help fight a cytokine storm that can lead to death.