Investigation of Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic, and Larvicidal Activities of Favipiravir

Growing number of deaths due to decreased effects of antibiotics has increased the need for new antimicrobial drugs. Studies on the pharmacological effect and toxicity of favipiravir, a new antiviral drug that was informally recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for a while, are limited and still ongoing. We first aimed to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of favipiravir in silico. A second aim of the manuscript is to examine its antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic, antiviral and larvicidal effects in vitro. In this study, it was determined that favipiravir was effective in terms of in silico antibacterial, in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxicity, antiviral and larvicidal activities. As a result, potential areas of use can be found in terms of activities under investigation. Studies on the pharmacological action and toxicity of favipiravir, a new antiviral drug unofficially recommended by WHO for the treatment of COVID-19, are limited and still ongoing. In this study, the antibacterial activity of favipiravir was first evaluated in silico. Secondly, its antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic, antiviral and larvicide effects were investigated in vitro.image