Abstract:
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19). This virus has become a global pandemic with unprecedented mortality and morbidity along with attendant
financial and economic crises. Furthermore, COVID-19 can easily be transmitted regardless of religion, race, sex, or status.
Globally, high hospitalization rates of COVID-19 patients have been reported, and billions of dollars have been spent to
contain the pandemic. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) 2 is a receptor of SARS-CoV-2, which has a significant
role in the entry of the virus into the host cell. ACE2 is highly expressed in the type II alveolar cells of the lungs, upper
esophagus, stratified epithelial cells, and other tissues in the body. The diminished expressions of ACE2 have been associated
with hypertension, arteriosclerosis, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and immune system dysregulation. Overall, the
potential drug candidates that could serve as ACE2 activators or enhance the expression of ACE2 in a disease state, such as
COVID-19, hold considerable promise in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reviews the therapeutic potential
and pharmacological benefits of the novel ACE2 in the management of COVID-19 using search engines, such as Google,
Scopus, PubMed, and PubMed Central.
