China is Testing Russian Medications to Fight Coronavirus

February 8, 2020

China is testing Russian medications to fight coronavirus. According to the Chinese authorities, more than 400 people died from pneumonia caused by a new type of coronavirus in China, the number of cases exceeded 20,400.

That’s why there is a new stage in fighting coronavirus today: Chinese specialists just started to conduct the trials of various Russian medications. In particular, Triazavirin (that is a direct-acting Russian antiviral drug of the azoloazine family) and Arbidol (that is also a Russian antiviral drug) are the focus of attention right now.

According to the Adviser to the National Health Commission of China, epidemiologist Li Lanjuan, Arbidol (Umifenovir) may be effective in fight with the new coronavirus (read more). Preliminary tests have shown that Arbidol can effectively inhibit the development of the virus, so the Adviser is also going to recommend that the National Health Commission include this drug in the updated coronavirus infection treatment plan for Chinese hospitals.

Can Other Medications Fight Coronavirus?

As you may know, it’s not the first coronavirus outbreak during the history of past years, we’re talking now about SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. So while tests are going on, a number of medications that were used before, are also used at this moment for the treatment of patients with the new coronavirus. These preparations are Ribavirin, Lopinavir + Ritonavir, and interferon preparations.

All these things say something about our society. When it comes to serious things, we need to look for the most effective drugs, regardless of where they come from or whether they are FDA approved. In Russian, we say: “In war, all means are good”.