Multiple potential targets of opioids in the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome from COVID‐19

• Published in: Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 591 - 595
• Main Authors: Cismaru, Cosmin Andrei, Cismaru, Gabriel Laurentiu, Nabavi, Seyed Fazel, Ghanei, Mostafa, Burz, Claudia Cristina, Nabavi, Seyed Mohammad, Berindan Neagoe, Ioana
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.01.2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Acidification; Analgesics, Opioid - administration & dosage; Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use; Apoptosis; ARDS; COVID-19; COVID-19 - complications; COVID-19 - drug therapy; COVID-19 - etiology; Cytokine Release Syndrome - drug therapy; Cytokine Release Syndrome - virology; Cytokine storm; Drug dosages; Dyspnea; Dyspnea - drug therapy; Dyspnea - etiology; dyspnoea; Humans; Immune response; Immune system; Immunomodulation; Immunomodulation - drug effects; Immunomodulation - physiology; Infections; Lysosomes - drug effects; Morphine; Narcotics; Opioids; Pain; Palliation; Pathogenesis; Pathology; Receptors, Opioid - immunology; Respiration; Respiratory distress syndrome; Respiratory Distress Syndrome - drug therapy; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Short Communication; Short Communications; Viral infections; Viruses; COVID-19; immunomodulation; cytokine storm; dyspnoea; ARDS; opioids
• ISSN: 1582-1838; 1582-4934
• DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15927

COVID‐19 can present with a variety of clinical features, ranging from asymptomatic or mild respiratory symptoms to fulminant acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) depending on the host's immune responses and the extent of the associated pathologies. This implies that several measures need to be taken to limit severely impairing symptoms caused by viral‐induced pathology in vital organs. Opioids are most exploited for their analgesic effects but their usage in the palliation of dyspnoea, immunomodulation and lysosomotropism may represent potential usages of opioids in COVID‐19. Here, we describe the mechanisms involved in each of these potential usages, highlighting the benefits of using opioids in the treatment of ARDS from SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.