Is lithium a potential treatment for the novel Wuhan (2019-nCoV) coronavirus? A scoping review

Abstract

The current rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) originating from Wuhan, China, calls for a rapid response from the research community. Lithium is widely used to treat bipolar disorder, but has been shown to exhibit antiviral activity. This brief review took a systematic approach to identify five in vitro studies reporting on the influence of lithium on coronaviral infections. We propose that in the case of urgent need, lithium be explored as a potential treatment or prophylaxis for the novel Wuhan coronavirus (2019-nCoV).