Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in SARS-Cov-2. Repurposing the old drugs against today’s deadly disease

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Review Article

Author Details : Kavita M. Jaiswal*, Sujata Dudhgaonkar, Latesh Raghute, Mahek S. Kewalramani, Lohit S. Vaishnao

Volume : 8, Issue : 1, Year : 2020

Article Page : 1-6

https://doi.org/10.18231/j.jpbs.2020.001

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Abstract

Introduction: Chloroquine (CQ) and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has received huge momentum as possible treatment for COVID-19. In India the drug is approved for prophylaxis of asymptomatic health workers treating suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases, and asymptomatic household contacts of confirmed patients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of HCQ to treat COVID-19.
Materials and Methods: Here we present the database of trials with these compounds in COVID-19.
Discussion: Early 15 registered clinical trials of CQ and HCQ in COVID -19 positive patients in China, showed that the drugs were superior to the control treatment in inhibiting the exacerbation of pneumonia, improving lung imaging findings, promoting a virus-negative conversion, and shortening the disease course. Some studies had no positive results including a multinational registry analysis of HCQ with or without a macrolide for treatment of COVID-19 published online in Lancet on 22nd May 2020.The study showed that there was decreased in-hospital survival and an increased frequency of ventricular arrhythmias when HCQ was used for treatment of COVID-19.In the light of this publication the WHO temporarily paused the HCQ arm of its ‘Solidarity’ global clinical trial on 26th May 2020 and trials with HCQ /CQ for COVID were also suspended. The Lancet paper was in controversy until finally on June 4th 2020 the article was retracted by authors.
Conclusions: Until we get results of WHO fast track ‘Solidarity’ clinical trial and other randomized clinical trials repurposing these drugs remains questionable.

Keywords: CQVID-19 pandemic, Corona ‘Solidarity’ trial, Severe acute respiratory syndrome

How to cite : Jaiswal K M, Dudhgaonkar S, Raghute L, Kewalramani M S, Vaishnao L S, Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in SARS-Cov-2. Repurposing the old drugs against today’s deadly disease. J Pharm Biol Sci 2020;8(1):1-6

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