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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroquine For coronaviruses chloroquine works by increasing endosomal pH and interfere with terminal glycosylation of the cellular receptor.[42][43] In late January 2020 during the 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak, Chinese medical researchers stated that exploratory research into chloroquine and two other medications, remdesivir and lopinavir/ritonavir, seemed to have "fairly good inhibitory effects" on the 2019 novel coronavirus. Requests to start clinical testing were submitted.[44][45][46] Chloroquine phosphate had been also proposed as a treatment for SARS-CoV with in vitro tests successfully inhibiting the virus.[47] On 19 February 2020, preliminary results found that chloroquine may be effective and safe in treating COVID-19 associated pneumonia.[48][49] There is evidence to indicate the efficacy of chloroquine phosphate against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, on Vero cells.[50] The Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology and the Guangdong Provincial Health and Health Commission issued a report stating that chloroquine phosphate "improves the success rate of treatment and shortens the length of patient’s hospital stay" and recommended it for patients diagnosed with mild, moderate and severe cases of novel coronavirus pneumonia.[51] Chloroquine have been recommended by Chinese, South Korean and Italian health authorities for the treatment of COVID-19 [52][53][54], however they have noted the important contraindications for people with certain heart conditions, diabetes, etc.[55][56] In February 2020, both drugs were shown to effectively inhibit COVID-19 in vitro [57], however a further study concluded that hydroxychloroquine was more potent than chloroquine, with a more tolerable safety profile. [58] Preliminary results from a multicentric trial, announced in a press conference suggested that chloroquine is effective and safe in treating COVID-19 associated pneumonia, "improving lung imaging findings, promoting a virus-negative conversion, and shortening the disease course".[59] On 16 March 2020, advisor to the French Government on COVID-19, Professor Didier Raoult, announced that a trial involving 24 patients from the south east of France supported the claim that chloroquine was an effective treatment for COVID-19.[60] 600mg of hydroxychloroquine was administered to these patients every day for 10 days. The drug appeared to be responsible for a "rapid and effective speeding up of their healing process, and a sharp decrease in the amount of time they remained contagious".[61] The study also suggested that taking chloroquine in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin - which is known to be effective against complications from bacterial lung disease - led to even better outcomes. Professor Raoult said the results showed there was "a spectacular reduction in the number of positive cases" with the combination therapy.[62] At 6 days, among patients given combination therapy, the percentage of cases still carrying SRAS-CoV-2 was no more than 5%.[63] |