Chloroquine
About Chloroquine
Chloroquine belongs to the class of medications called 'quinoline' primarily used to treat malaria. Chloroquine gives a degree of protection (prophylaxis) against malaria when people travel to areas where malarial cases exist. It is effective against Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malariae. Chloroquine is not effective against Plasmodium falciparum. Besides this, it also treats amoebiasis (intestinal dysentery) and rheumatic disease (arthritis).
Chloroquine contains 'chloroquine' which acts by killing the malarial parasites, i.e. Plasmodium and stops the formation of the nontoxic heme metabolite hemozoin by the parasite. Heme part of the red blood cells is broken by the malarial, causing parasites. Chloroquine prevents the breakdown of heme part and is actually toxic to the parasite. It kills the parasitic form living in red blood cells that resides in the liver.
Chloroquine should be taken as prescribed by your doctor. The dose of Chloroquine can vary depending upon your condition and the severity of the infection. The common side effects of Chloroquine include vomiting, nausea, hair loss and itchy skin. Everyone need not experience the above side effects. In case of any discomfort, speak with a doctor.
Before starting Chloroquine, please inform your doctor if you are allergic to chloroquine or have kidney or liver problems. Do not take Chloroquine on your own. Chloroquine is safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Prolonged use of Chloroquine may have a severe risk on the heart and retina of the eyes leading to pounding heartbeats and permanent vision problems.
Uses of Chloroquine
Medicinal Benefits
Chloroquine falls into a group of medicines known as antimalarials, indicated for treating or preventing malaria. Chloroquine contains chloroquine, which belongs to quinoline. It works by preventing the formation of the nontoxic heme metabolite hemozoin by the parasite. Due to this, the parasite dies from its own toxic by-products released due to haemoglobin's metabolism. Chloroquine is also indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases like lupus and intestinal infection caused by amoeba (amoebiasis).
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Chloroquine
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Stomach pain
- Nausea (being sick)
- Diarrhoea
- Loss of appetite
- Headache
- Skin rash
- Liver problems
Drug Warnings
Chloroquine does not respond well against all malaria strains, so consult with your doctor if you do not respond well to Chloroquine. This medicine can affect heart health, especially if a person is taking medications, including the antibiotic azithromycin and anticancer like tamoxifen. An individual must consult with the doctor if they are noticing fast or pounding heartbeats and sudden dizziness. This medicine cannot be used for a long duration as it may cause irreversible damage to the eye that could lead to vision problems. Chloroquine cannot be used in persons who have heart disease, heart rhythm disorder, diabetes, a stomach disorder, an allergy to quinine, liver or kidney disease, psoriasis, alcoholism, porphyria (a genetic enzyme disorder that affects the skin or nervous system), a genetic enzyme deficiency called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Consult with your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding as this medicine could only be used if prescribed by the doctor.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Chloroquine can interact with pain killers (aspirin), anti-allergic (hydroxyzine), anticancer (tamoxifen), antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, azithromycin, celecoxib), immunosuppressants (mycophenolate mofetil), antimalarials (proguanil, primaquine, mefloquine, hydroxychloroquine), antianxiety medicine (pregabalin), anti-epileptic (levetiracetam), antacids (esomeprazole), proguanil, and anti-anxiety drugs (alprazolam).
Drug-Food Interaction: Limit the consumption of grapefruit or grapefruit juice with Chloroquine as it can significantly increase the level of this medicine in the blood.
Drug-Disease Interaction: People affected with eye disorder (oculotoxicity), blood disease (porphyria), heart disease (arrhythmias), bone marrow suppression, ear disorder (cytotoxicity), seizures, enzyme deficiency (G-6-PD deficiency), liver disease (hepatotoxicity), muscle disorder (myasthenia gravis), skin disease (psoriasis) should not take Chloroquine without doctors consultation.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionNo serious interaction has been reported between alcohol and Chloroquine yet alcohol should be avoided with Chloroquine as it aggravates side effects.
Pregnancy
cautionChloroquine should be used with caution and can only be used in pregnancy if recommended by the doctor.
Breast Feeding
cautionIt is not safe to breastfeed while taking Chloroquine as this medicine can pass into breast milk. A patient is advised to take this drug only on doctor's consultation.
Driving
cautionChloroquine may cause blurred vision, so one should avoid driving or doing any activity that needs mental alertness. A patient is thus advised to take this drug only on doctor's consultation.
Liver
cautionChloroquine therapy is unlikely to cause liver injury in normal individuals but can trigger an acute worsening of porphyria in rare cases. Thus doctor's consultation is recommended before taking Chloroquine.
Kidney
cautionChloroquine administration impairs kidney function in a few cases, so a patient is recommended to consult a doctor before taking Chloroquine.
Children
safe if prescribedChloroquine is safe to use in children, yet dose adjustment by a doctor will be done on the basis of age, weight, and severity of the infection.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Always take Chloroquine with meals for reduced gastric irritation.
- Adequate nutrition is the key for improvement in malaria induced weakness.
- It is important to allow the patient to eat regularly in small amounts to tolerate the food.
- Increase fluid and protein intake for malaria induced weight loss.
- Proper rest and mosquito-free premises is important for the patient to recover.
Special Advise
Do not take Chloroquine if you have had a previous reaction to Chloroquine, or if you have certain eye problems involving your retina. Tell your healthcare provider about any problems you may have with your eyes.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Malaria: It is a severe & fatal parasitic infection caused by a protozoan called Plasmodium. 4 types of parasites can infect humans with malaria: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malaria. Female anopheles mosquito bites cause it. If bitten by an infected mosquito (the Anopheles mosquito), malaria parasites are injected into the blood. These parasites then migrate to the liver where they multiply via the bloodstream. A patient doesn't feel sick at this period because the parasites are in the liver. Then the parasites leave the liver and enter the red blood cells where the parasites are developing, and then the red blood cells burst, allowing them to transfer to another blood cell. The parasites release harmful chemicals into the bloodstream at this point, and the patient begins to feel ill. Malaria leads to periodic fever-chills, anaemia, kidney failure, and jaundice due to excessive red blood cell death due to plasmodium growth inside them.
FAQs
Chloroquine works by preventing the formation of the nontoxic heme metabolite hemozoin by the parasite. Due to this, the parasite dies from its own toxic by-products released due to haemoglobin's metabolism.
The use of Chloroquine is not allowed in persons who are already taking any antibiotic (azithromycin) as it may cause dangerous effects on the heart.
No such effect has been reported yet. Always consult your doctor for the change of dose regimen or an alternative medicine if needed.
No such harmful interaction has been reported in patients who take this drug under strict doctors' surveillance. However, some patients might experience eye (retina) damage and cause pounding heart, so patient taking Chloroquine is advised to consult a doctor and have regular check-ups cyclically.
There may be a risk of hemolysis in patients with G6PD deficiency while using Chloroquine. Doctor's consultation is mandatory before you start this medication.
