Most common over-the-counter medications and effects on patients.

OBJECTIVE: The self-medicating practice of using over-the-counter (OTC) medications are more common than prescription drug use worldwide. OTC drugs are primarily used to treat conditions that do not require direct medical attention or supervision, and OTC drugs must be demonstrated to be reasonably safe and well-tolerated. The pharmacy profession describes their role in dispensing over-the-counter (OTC) products as "selecting the best medication according to reported symptoms". This study aimed to evaluate the use of most common over-the-counter (OTC) medications and their effect on patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted on 442 participants who used OTC drugs from June to November 2021. RESULTS: The most common OTC drugs used by patients involved in the study were paracetamol (13.35%), followed by ibuprofen (2.04%). Gender of patients was significantly related to (duration, frequency, suggestion, and misuse) of OTC use and patient counseling by the pharmacist (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: OTC medications can easily be obtained at pharmacies for the purpose of self-treatment. The most common OTC drugs used by the studied patients were paracetamol, followed by ibuprofen. It is suggested that an awareness program among community people be conducted at the community level regarding over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.

Mapping the effect of drugs on ACE2 as a novel target site for COVID-19 therapy.

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has potentially conflicting roles in health and disease. COVID-19 coronavirus binds to human cells via ACE2 receptor, which is expressed on almost all body organs. Boosting the ACE2 receptor levels on heart and lung cells may provide more cellular enter to virus thereby worsening the infection. Therefore, among the drug targets, ACE2 is suggested as a vital target of COVID-19 therapy. This hypothesis is based on the protective role of the drugs acting on ACE2. Therefore, this review discusses the impact and challenges of using ACE2 as a target in the current therapy of COVID-19.

The interplay between vitamin D and COVID-19: protective or bystander?

The world is currently facing the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Due to a lack of specific treatment and prophylaxis, protective health measures that can reduce infection severity and COVID-19 mortality are urgently required. Clinical and epidemiological studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency can be linked to an increased risk of viral infection, including COVID-19. Therefore, in this review, we looked at various possible roles of vitamin D in reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection and severity. We describe in this article that individuals at high risk of vitamin D deficiency should consider taking vitamin D supplements to keep optimal concentrations. Moreover, we discuss different possible mechanisms by which vitamin D can efficiently reduce the risk of infections through modulation of innate and adaptive immunity against various types of infections. It is advisable to perform further studies addressing the observed influence of vitamin D levels to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection and mortality.