Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. At this time, there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19. However, there are many ongoing clinical trials evaluating potential treatments Drugs used to treat malaria infection has shown to be beneficial for many other diseases, including viral infections. In this Clinical trial, Investigators will evaluate the effect of Artemisinin / Artesunate on morbidity of COVID-19 patients in decreasing the course of the disease and viral load in symptomatic stable positive swab COVID-19 patients. Investigators are hypothesizing that due to the antiviral properties of this drug it will help as a treatment for the COVID -19 patients. In improving their condition and clearing the virus load,
In this Clinical trial, Investigators will evaluate the effect of Artemisinin / Artesunate on
morbidity of COVID-19 patients in decreasing the course of the disease and viral load in
symptomatic stable positive swab COVID-19 patients. investigators are hypothesizing that due
to the antiviral properties of this drug it will help as a treatment for the COVID -19
patients. In improving their condition and clearing the virus load, investigators are testing
two groups the one that will take the drug and then compare them to a placebo group that will
not take any drug for the treatment in a blinded fashion made by randomization done by our
pharmacy team so investigators eliminate risk of bias. Our expectation is to find a total
reduction of the hospital stay to 7 days instead of 14 days currently indicating the
effectiveness of the medication in eradicating the virus.
Drug: Artemisinin / Artesunate
testing the drug capabilities in reducing the shedding and causing the testing for covid 19 to become negative
Other: placebo
placebo or sham drug will be given to the second arm
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adult patient age more than 18 and less than 60 years
- Symptomatic , positive swab covid-19 patients
- Patients who have mild to moderate symptoms
- Patients who have no risk factors like
- Patients who is not on other medications rather those on supportive care
Exclusion Criteria:
- · Patients who have sever disease- shortness of breath, sick patients or admitted in
ICU
- Patients who are receiving ventilation supports
- High risk group like :- age more than 60 years, chronic heart diseases, chronic
lungs diseases, diabetes, immunocompromised diseases or on immune suppression
medications or pregnant women
- Patients who are on other medications which used as treatment for covid 19
Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman Univeristy
Riyadh, Central, Saudi Arabia
Osama Kentab, MD, Principal Investigator
Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University