The WHO announced
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic disease globally on March 11, 2020, after it emerged in China. The emergence of
COVID-19 has lasted over a year, and despite promising
vaccine reports that have been produced, we still have a long way to go until such remedies are accessible to everyone. The immunomodulatory strategy has been kept at the top priority for the research agenda for
COVID-19.
Corticosteroids have been used to modulate the immune response in a wide range of diseases for the last 70 years. These drugs have been shown to avoid and reduce
inflammation in tissues and the bloodstream through non-genomic and genomic effects. Now, the use of
corticosteroids increased the chance of survival and relief by combating the viral strong inflammatory impacts and has moved to the forefront in the management of patients seeking supplemental
oxygen. The goal of this review is to illuminate
dexamethasone and
methylprednisolone, i.e., in terms of their chemical and physical properties, role in
COVID-19 patients suffering from
pneumonia, the proposed mode of action in
COVID-19, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, clinical outcomes in immunocompromised populations with
COVID-19, interaction with other drugs, and contradiction to explore the trends and perspectives for future research. Literature was searched from scientific databases such as Science Direct, Wiley, Springer, PubMed, and books for the preparation of this review. The RECOVERY trial, a massive, multidisciplinary, randomized, and open-label trial, is mainly accountable for recommendations over the usage of
corticosteroids in
COVID-19 patients. The
corticosteroids such as
dexamethasone and
methylprednisolone in the form of medication have anti-inflammatory,
analgesic, and
anti-allergic characteristics, including the ability to inhibit the immune system. These drugs are also recommended for treating symptoms of multiple ailments such as rheumatic and
autoimmune diseases,
leukemia,
multiple myeloma, and Hodgkin's and
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma along with other drugs. Toxicology studies proved them safe usually at low dosage via oral or other routes.