Drug name | Main indication | Mechanism of action | Drug toxicity | Contraindications |
Hydroxychloroquine | Malaria prophylaxis, systemic lupus. | Raises lysosomal pH in antigen-presenting cells to prevents viral fusion and entry to host cell. | QTc prolongation, hypokalaemia, torsades de pointes, ventricular tachycardia, and fibrillation, sudden cardiac or respiratory arrest. | Hypersensitivity to 4-aminoquinolone, pre-existing maculopathy of eye, pregnancy. |
Dexamethasone | Suppression of inflammatory and allergic disorder, inflammation, mild croup, macular oedema. | Inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine production. | Increased susceptibility of infection, impaired healing, osteoporosis, hyperlipidaemia, hyperglycaemia, metabolic acidosis. | Systemic infection and immunocompromised patients. |
Naproxen | Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, acute gout, dysmenorrhoea. | Inhibits COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes to reduce prostaglandin synthesis. | Nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, lethargy, and drowsiness. | Hypersensitivity to NSAIDS, pregnancy, severe hepatic, heart, renal failure. |
Etoricoxib | Rheumatoid arthritis, acute gout, acute pain. | Inhibits COX-2, prevents prostaglandin production. | Gastrointestinal and cardiorenal events. | Hypersensitivity to NSAIDS, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, pregnancy and lactation, severe hepatic impairment. |
Ibuprofen | Mild to moderate pain from dysmenorrhea, migraine, rheumatoid arthritis, pyrexia. | Blocks COX-1 and COX-2, decreases prostaglandin synthesis involved in inflammation, pain, fever and swelling. | CNS depression; rarely metabolic acidosis, acute renal failure, liver failure, hyperkalaemia, respiratory depression, and cyanosis. | Hypersensitivity to ibuprofen, severe hepatic, renal or heart failure, asthmatic patients, heart diseases, gastrointestinal bleeding. |