2-DG drug for Covid-19 treatment: Here're the benefits and concerns

The idea behind using 2-DG in Covid-19 is that along with other anti-virals, it can help prevent replication of the Sars-CoV-2 virus in inflamed lung cells of Covid-19 patients

2-DG, a new investigational drug, has got emergency use authorisation from the Indian drug regulator for use in Covid-19. Developers claim the drug can inhibit viral replication, but doctors are divided in opinion. So, what is this drug and why is it making news? Let’s find out. 

What is 2-DG?

The drug 2-Deoxy-d-Glucose, or 2-DG, has been historically tested as a cancer drug that inhibits glycolysis — the process by which cells break down glucose. The drug 2-DG stops glucose supply to the cells, which then start dying. It is used as a cancer drug as it works by preventing