Despite enormous progress in understanding COVID-19, there is little evidence that a solution, therapeutic or preventive, is close to being achieved. Repurposing of well known, widely available drugs represent an attractive approach to speed up availability of active treatments. Such substances as i.e. hydroxychloroquine and others, are already under investigation and in widespread off label use. For many reasons Methylene blue (MB), the oldest synthetic substance in medicine (1876 synthesized by BASF) is such a promising candidate for an active treatment against SARS-CoV-2 infected people and for COVID-19 patients.
Drug: Methylene Blue
Treatment Group. Methylene Blue 100 mg capsules, twice a day for 5 consecutive days, will be added to the current therapy of the patient, if any.
Drug: Control Test
Arm B: Control Group. Placebo capsules 100 mg twice a day for 5 consecutive days, will be added to the current therapy of the patient, if any.
Inclusion criteria are:
- signed informed consent
- age ≥ 18 years
- microbiologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection
- negative pregnancy test in women of child-bearing age
Exclusion criteria are:
- documented refusal to participate in the study
- known G-6-Phophatase deficiency
- treatment with a serotoninergic drug
Fondazione Epatocentro Ticino
Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland