Summary of Clinical Use

Chloroquine is one of the antimalarials listed in the World Health Organisation's 21st Essential Medicines List (2019), with its recommended use restricted to the prevention and treatment of P. vivax infection in areas where resistance has not yet developed. It is also used off-label for other conditions/diseases, including treatment of autoimmune disorders (rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosus), as an antiretroviral (HIV-1/AIDS and chikungunya fever) and as a radiosensitizing/chemosensitizing agent benefitting cancer therapies.

Mechanism Of Action and Pharmacodynamic Effects

Chloroquine inhibits ferriprotoporphyrin IX (FP, a heme detoxifying enzyme) found in Plasmodium species. Chloroquine kills the malarial parasite by causing a build up of toxic heme by inhibiting the enzyme that normally converts it to non-toxic hamazion. Chloroquine may also form a complex with FP which is additionally highly toxic to the organism.

External links

For extended ADME data see the following: Electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) Drugs.com