Repurposing of antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and impact of repurposed drugs on the nervous system

The recent pandemic, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has devastated humanity and is continuing to threaten us. Due to the high transmissibility of this pathogen, researchers are still trying to cope with the treatment and prevention of this disease. Few of them were successful in finding cure for COVID-19 by including repurposed drugs in the treatment. In such pandemic situations, when it is nearly impossible to design and implement a new drug target, previously designed antiviral drugs could help against novel viruses, referred to as drug repurposing/redirecting/repositioning or re-profiling. This review describes the current landscape of the repurposing of antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and the impact of these drugs on our nervous system. In some cases, specific antiviral therapy has been notably associated with neurological toxicity, characterized by peripheral neuropathy, neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric effects within the central nervous system (CNS).