Chloroquine against malaria, cancers and viral diseases

Wenmin Zhou; Hui Wang; Yuqi Yang; Zhe-Sheng Chen; Chang Zou; Jianye Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2020.09.010

Chloroquine against malaria, cancers and viral diseases

Drug Discov Today. 2020 Sep 16;25(11):2012-2022. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.09.010. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Wenmin Zhou¹, Hui Wang², Yuqi Yang³, Zhe-Sheng Chen⁴, Chang Zou⁵, Jianye Zhang⁶

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, PR China.
² Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, PR China; Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics/Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, PR China; The First Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, PR China.
³ College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John's University, Queens, New York, NY 11439, USA.
⁴ College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John's University, Queens, New York, NY 11439, USA. Electronic address: chenz@stjohns.edu.
⁵ The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, 518020, PR China. Electronic address: zou.chang@szhospital.com.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, PR China; Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics/Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, PR China; The First Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, PR China. Electronic address: jianyez@163.com.

Abstract

Quinoline (QN) derivatives are often used for the prophylaxis and treatment of malaria. Chloroquine (CQ), a protonated, weakly basic drug, exerts its antimalarial effect mainly by increasing pH and accumulating in the food vacuole of the parasites. Repurposing CQ is an emerging strategy for new indications. Given the inhibition of autophagy and its immunomodulatory action, CQ shows positive efficacy against cancer and viral diseases, including Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Here, we review the underlying mechanisms behind the antimalarial, anticancer and antiviral effects of CQ. We also discuss the clinical evidence for the use of CQ and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) against COVID-19.

Publication types

Review