Bismuth subsalicylate is available over-the-counter within the U.S. as Pepto Bismol, and in lots of different international locations. It’s OTC right here as a result of it’s a really secure drug.
Frontiers in Drug Discovery published and article by U.S. authors suggesting a benefit for the use of oral bismuth subsalycilate for hospitalized patients with Covid-19 pneumonia. The profit was a “marked enchancment in oxygen necessities in a lot of the circumstances.” In different phrases, sufferers wanted a decrease quantity of supplemental oxygen delivered to the lungs. Meaning lung operate is enhancing.
This was a tiny examine, solely eight sufferers, and so they had been all fairly sick, as I recall. Most of them acquired dexamethasone, remdesivir, and both tocilizumab or baricitunib. To get into the examine, they wanted free stools or diarrhea and at the very least 5 days of excessive oxygen necessities. (As an apart, I’ve discover many hospitalized COVID sufferers have heartburn, and within the ultimate third of the pandemic thus far, diarrhea is commonly distinguished.)
The largest issues with the examine are the shortage of a management group and the small pattern dimension. The authors admit this was simply an exploratory examine and name for a extra thorough investigation. Who’s going to pay for that? Procter & Gamble, the distributors of Pepto Bismol? It positive as hell received’t be the makers of the vaccines, remdesivir, tocilizumab, or baricitunib
Steve Parker, M.D.
