Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine: The History Revisited
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review and historical commentary containing no new human data or systematic synthesis.
OpenAlex W3202937044 · doi:10.52589/ajbmr-xt0fiqy2
What was done
This is a narrative historical review outlining the discovery of quinine from cinchona tree bark and the subsequent synthetic development of chloroquine (1934) and hydroxychloroquine (1946). It summarizes chemical characteristics, mechanisms of action (selective toxicity to intraerythrocytic parasite lysosomes preventing hemoglobin degradation), and applications across malaria, autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus), cancer, and viral diseases.
What was found
The abstract reports no empirical data, statistical tests, or quantitative findings. It provides a purely qualitative historical timeline (alkaloid isolated in 1820, CQ synthesized in 1934, HCQ developed in 1946) and lists historical and investigational indications.
Why it matters
It offers a brief, high-level summary of the historical trajectory and diverse therapeutic applications of quinine derivatives from malaria to modern inflammatory and viral contexts.
Limits
Narrative review design without systematic search criteria, quality appraisal, or primary clinical/experimental data; no quantitative effect sizes or comparative outcomes are reported.
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