Use of Tranexamic Acid in SARS-COV-2: Boon or Bane?

The devastating pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) began in Wuhan, China, and spread rapidly through most parts of the world in the second half of 2020. The air droplet spread of SARS-CoV-2 is of great global health concern as it is potentially fatal. Various drugs and treatment modalities have been tried to date, but none have been found to be definitive. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is commonly used in pigmentary disorders in dermatology due to its ability to reduce melanocyte tyrosinase activity. It also possesses anti-fibrinolytic and anti-inflammatory properties, which have been observed to suppress the cytokine storm and modulate coagulopathy in patients suffering from COVID-19. TXA, when administered early, has been effective in decreasing the severity of symptoms in COVID-19 patients, but on the contrary, it has also been associated with life-threatening thrombosis when given as a single drug.