Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 14, 2022.
Commonly used brand name(s)
In the U.S.
- Aralen Phosphate
Available Dosage Forms:
- Tablet
Therapeutic Class: Antimalarial
Chemical Class: Aminoquinoline
Uses for chloroquine
Chloroquine is used to prevent and treat malaria. It is also used to treat liver infection caused by protozoa (extraintestinal amebiasis). Chloroquine may also be used to treat coronavirus (COVID-19) in certain hospitalized patients.
Using chloroquine alone or with other medicines (eg, azithromycin) may increase your risk of heart rhythm problems (eg, QT prolongation, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia). Chloroquine should only be used for COVID-19 in a hospital or during clinical trials. Do not take any medicine that contains chloroquine unless prescribed by your doctor.
Chloroquine belongs to a group of medicines known as antimalarials. It works by preventing or treating malaria, a red blood cell infection transmitted by the bite of a mosquito. However, chloroquine is not used to treat severe or complicated malaria and to prevent malaria in areas or regions where chloroquine is known not to work (resistance).
Chloroquine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
Before using chloroquine
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For chloroquine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to chloroquine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of chloroquine to prevent and treat malaria in children. However, children are more sensitive to the effects of chloroquine than adults. Safety and efficacy of chloroquine to treat extraintestinal amebiasis have not been ...
