- Inhibits glycosylation of host receptors, proteolytic processing, and endosomal acidification to blockade viral entry
- Causes immunomodularity effects via inhibition of cytokine production, autophagy, and lysosomal activity in host cells


Smith College

There is insufficient evidence that chloroquine is an effective COVID-19 treatments and it may increase risk of negative outcomes

- Findings in support of chloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19
- Findings opposed to chloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19
- Using Molecular Docking to Determine the Mechanism of Action of Hydroxychloroquine/Chloroquine on SARS-CoV-2
- Chloroquine Mechanism of action/Target
- Toxicities of Chloroquine 

Chloroquine as treatment for COVID-19

Sanders, J. M., Monogue, M. L., Jodlowski, T. Z., & Cutrell, J. B. (2020). Pharmacologic treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a review. Jama, 323(18), 1824-1836.
doi:10.1001/jama.2020.6019
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2764727/

Pharmacologic Treatments for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)


- From multinational registry of patients hospitalized between 12/20/19 and 4/14/20, individuals treated with Chloroquine had a higher risk of in-hospital mortality compared to an untreated control group

-  From multinational registry of patients hospitalized between 12/20/19 and 4/14/20, individuals treated with Chloroquine had a higher risk of clinically significant ventricular arrhythmia compared to an untreated control group

Findings opposed to use of Chloroquine as COVID-19 intervention

Computerized molecular docking assays were conducted to assess the roles of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine (CQ) in preventative or therapeutic care of COVID-19.  Studies analyzed these drug interactions with SARS-CoV-2 proteins, ACE2, TMPRSS2, and other protein targets.  HCQ and CQ were not found to strongly interact with viral proteins, including its RNA polymerase, main protease, or ligand.  However, five possible binding sites were discovered on the ACE2 receptor.  

Using Molecular Docking to Determine the Mechanism of Action of Hydroxychloroquine/Chloroquine on SARS-CoV-2

- Common toxic effects include abdominal cramps, anorexia, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting 
-  Major complications include cardiovascular effects  (including QTc prolongation), hematologic effects (including hemolysis with G6PD deficiency), hypoglycemia, retinal toxicity, neuropsychiatric and central nervous system effects

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