Recent Analytical Methodologies for Determination of Anti-Viral COVID-19 Drugs: A Review

Since the first discovery of the first case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, the virus quickly spread throughout the world and became a pandemic. The virus has continued to pose challenges, with new variants emerging and evolving, necessitating ongoing adaptation and response from governments, healthcare systems, and communities worldwide. Various drug regimens were introduced with immediate implementation and there is a need for the study of Review of Quality Control aspects of drugs employed in COVID-19 treatment is critical for ensuring their safety, efficacy, and reliability. With the proliferation of pharmaceutical interventions aimed at combating the pandemic, such as antiviral, immunomodulators, and repurposed medications, a thorough review is essential. Harnessing immune modulators, monoclonal antibodies, and antiviral agents like the ritonavir (RTN)/nirmatrelvir (NTV) combination, molnupiravir (MLP), and favipiravir (FVP) presents a multifaceted approach to combating COVID-19. These pharmaceutical interventions offer diverse mechanisms of action aimed at suppressing viral replication, mitigating immune responses, and enhancing the body's ability to combat the virus Improving analytical methods to achieve precise and sensitive quantification of these drugs is paramount for advancing quality control measures. The study delved into a variety of analytical techniques for assessing the concentrations of antiviral drugs utilized in COVID-19 treatment. The techniques covered by these methods include Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC-MS/MS) or Ultraviolet detectors (HPLC-UV), High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), Reversed Phase-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC), High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) or Ultraviolet detectors (TLC-UV), and Micellar Liquid Chromatography (MLC). With regard to sensitivity, selectivity, and efficiency in measuring drug concentrations, each of these methods has special benefits. The TLC and HPTLC techniques offer reasonably easy sample preparation at a reasonable price, whereas the RP-HPLC, HPLC-MS/MS, UHPLC-MS/MS, and UPLC-UV techniques offer more sensitivity and precision, especially in complex sample types. Furthermore, precise identification and quantification of pharmacological molecules at low concentrations are made possible by the application of UV and mass spectrometric detection.
              The purpose of the study is to assess the effectiveness of the RP-HPLC method and validate the chosen medications. The results of the study will be further examined, and the development of a novel RP-HPLC method will be optimized. These analytical techniques can be refined to satisfy legal specifications and guarantee accurate anti-COVID-19 medication quantification. Here, we focus on clarifying modern, straightforward, fast, accurate, and eco-friendly analytical techniques that demonstrate great sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy for the analysis of anti-COVID-19 medications.