Harnessing resolving‐based therapeutics to treat pulmonary viral infections: What can the future offer to COVID‐19?

Sousa, Lirlândia P.; Pinho, Vanessa; Teixeira, Mauro M.

Inflammation is generally believed to be a protective response in the context of infectious diseases. However, altered inflammatory responses can contribute to disease in infected individuals. Multiple mediators that drive the resolution of inflammation have been described. Overall, mediators of resolution tend to decrease inflammatory responses and provide normal or greater ability of the host to deal with infection. In the lung, it seems that pro‐resolving molecules or strategies that promote their increase tend to decrease inflammation and lung injury and facilitate control of bacterial or viral burden. Here, we argue that the demonstrated anti‐inflammatory, pro‐resolving, anti‐thrombogenic and anti‐microbial effects of pro‐resolution mediators may be useful in the treatment of the late stages of disease in patients with COVID‐19.