Can Hydroxychloroquine treatment of coronavirus-19 (SARS-CoV-2) OR not ?

          

Hydroxychloroquine, a cure for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) OR not?

Introduction

Hydroxychloroquine drugs that have recently been making new headlines as promising treatments for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)  and coronavirus disease (COVID-19).  In this article, we will provide information about hydroxychloroquine and their relationship with  COVID-19

1  1. What is Hydroxychloroquine?

     Hydroxychloroquine, its chemical name is 4-aminoquinoline and sold under the product name Plaquenil. Its molecular formula is C₁₈H₂₆ClN₃O with a molecular weight of 335.9 g/mol. It was first approved to treat malaria, an infection caused by a parasite (Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum). Hydroxychloroquine structure is similar to chloroquine. Chloroquine has anti-inflammatory and antimalarial activity. Hydroxychloroquine was approved by the FDA in 1955, is usually ideal over chloroquine because it has less side effects. Nowadays hydroxychloroquine is used for antimalarial drug and comes only as a tablet which can be taken by mouth only.

                                                    

                                           2D  of structure of hydroxychloroquine

2    2. Use of Hydroxychloroquine drug

                              

              It is used to treat:-

Ø  Lupus erythematosus,

Ø  Rheumatoid arthritis

Ø  Porphyria cutanea tarda,

Ø   Q fever,

Ø  Malaria resistant strains,

Ø  Post-Lyme arthritis and

Ø  Anti-inflammatory activity

Ø  Immunosuppressive drug

                            Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) (Clinical trails are going on )

    3.  How it works?

     Hydroxychloroquine upsurges the pH of lysosomes in antigen-presenting cells which help degrade the foreign substance. In inflammatory circumstances, it blocks toll-like receptors on plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Recently, it has been revealed hydroxychloroquine inhibits stimulation of the toll-like receptor (TLR) 9 family receptors, that persuade inflammatory responses through the initiation of the natural immune system.

       4.  Is hydroxychloroquine safe or not?

  

    The common side effects of hydroxychloroquine in human are:

                       1)      Stomach cramps or abdominal cramps

                       2)      Vomiting

                       3)      Retinopathy

                       4)      Mild diarrhea          

                      5)      Dizziness

                      6)      Headache

                      7)      Heart problems etc.

                      8)      Angioedema (rapid swelling of your skin)

                      9)      Severe or mild bronchospasm

                     10)  Sore throat

        5.   COVID-19 and Coronavirus

     Coronaviruses are a member of associated viruses that cause diseases in humans, birds and other mammals. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease of the respiratory system caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) also well-known as a novel coronavirus (nCoV-2019). A typical structure of SARS-CoV-2 is given below.  The total number of death caused by this virus around the world till date is 1,34,354 as per WHO report. In India the first case of coronavirus positive was reported at Kerala state and now the maximum number of positive cases and the highest mortality rate is at Maharashtra state.

                                        

                                         

                             Structure of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2( SARS-CoV-2)

     6. Hydroxychloroquine, a cure for COVID-19 OR not?

     The answer to the above question is both YES OR NO. In the recent research work has revealed that hydroxychloroquine has antiviral properties against novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that is a root cause for COVID-19. In these studies, this drug worked by interfering with human cell membranes and obstructed the virus from incoming and multiplying inside the human cells. In some countries like China, France, etc hydroxychloroquine shows positive results against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by decease viral load in humans. Several reports are there were hydroxychloroquine shows negative results against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Studies are ongoing across the globe in this area to find out its effectiveness against COVID-19 and at the same time its side effects.  In India, hydroxychloroquine is not in use to treat coronavirus. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, has said that hydroxychloroquine should not be used by healthy people and has not yet verified cure for COVID-19.

   7. Top companies producing hydroxychloroquine in India

    India is the largest supplier of hydroxychloroquine across the globe. The top companies which produce hydroxychloroquine are

•       Ipca Laboratories  (Mumbai)
•       Zydus Cadila(Ahmedabad)
•       Cipla (Mumbai)
•      Wallace Pharmaceuticals (Mumbai) etc
• 8. Other medications or treatments used for COVID-19. 
• The drugs which are presently used for treatment of COVID-19 across the globe are

§  Remdesivir

§  Favipiravir

§  Ritonavir/lopinavir