Chloroquine: a drug with multiple uses

ABSTRACT

Chloroquine besides being an antimalarial, has been used in rheumatoid arhtritis, primary GougerotSjogren, Photo lesions, necrobiosis lipoidica, verrucous from of chilblain, Lupus erythematosus, subacute cutaneous lupus arthematosus, lupus pregnancy, porphyria cutanea tarda, and lepromatous reaction, extra-intestinal amoebiasis, photo reactions and infectious mononucleosis. Resistance to chloroquine is being developed for treatment of malaria. Chloroquine may produce toxicity and adverse effects like halos around the eyes, photophobia, retinopathy, maculopathy and sensoneural hearing loss have been reported. Other adverse effects include prutitus, intermittent porphyria, arrhythmias and mental disturbances. It may also produce achromotrichia albinism, transient, edema, exfoliative dermatitis and fixed drug eruptions