Chloroquine: Modes of action of an undervalued drug

Author(s)

Thome, Rodolfo ^[1] ; Pinto Lopes, Stefanie Costa ^[2] ; Maranhao Costa, Fabio Trindade ^[2] ; Verinaud, Liana ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Campinas Unicamp, Inst Biol, Dept Struct & Funct Biol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Inst Biol, Dept Genet Evolut & Bioagents, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Review article
• Source: Immunology Letters; v. 153, n. 1-2, p. 50-57, JUN 2013.
• Web of Science Citations: 56

Abstract

For more than two decades, chloroquine (CQ) was largely and deliberately used as first choice drug for malaria treatment. However, worldwide increasing cases of resistant strains of Plasmodium have hampered its use. Nevertheless, CQ has recently been tested as adjunct therapy in several inflammatory situations, such as rheumatoid arthritis and transplantation procedures, presenting intriguing and promising results. In this review, we discuss recent findings and CQ mechanisms of action vis-a-vis its use as a broad adjunct therapy. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/17965-3 - Effect of thymic atrophy induced by Plasmodium berghei infection in the establishment and course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)
• Grantee: Liana Maria Cardoso Verinaud
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/13191-3 - Effect of thymic atrophy induced by infection with Plasmodium berghei on the induction and development of EAE experimental
• Grantee: Rodolfo Thomé
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate