Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of malaria and repurposing in treating COVID-19

Pharmacol Ther. 2020 Dec:216:107672. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107672. Epub 2020 Sep 8.

Abstract

Chloroquine (CQ) and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have been commonly used for the treatment and prevention of malaria, and the treatment of autoimmune diseases for several decades. As their new mechanisms of actions are identified in recent years, CQ and HCQ have wider therapeutic applications, one of which is to treat viral infectious diseases. Since the pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), CQ and HCQ have been subjected to a number of in vitro and in vivo tests, and their therapeutic prospects for COVID-19 have been proposed. In this article, the applications and mechanisms of action of CQ and HCQ in their conventional fields of anti-malaria and anti-rheumatism, as well as their repurposing prospects in anti-virus are reviewed. The current trials and future potential of CQ and HCQ in combating COVID-19 are discussed.

Keywords: COVID-19; Chloroquine (CQ); Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ); Malaria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimalarials / pharmacokinetics
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use*
  • Antirheumatic Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Betacoronavirus*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment
  • Chloroquine / pharmacokinetics
  • Chloroquine / therapeutic use*
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
  • Coronavirus Infections / metabolism
  • Drug Repositioning
  • Humans
  • Malaria / drug therapy
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / metabolism
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Chloroquine