Updates on the Pharmacology of Chloroquine against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Perspective on its Use in the General and Geriatric Population.

BACKGROUND: Chloroquine has been used to treat malaria for more than 70 years. Its safety profile and costeffectiveness are well-documented. Scientists have found that chloroquine has in vitro activity against novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Currently, chloroquine has been adopted in the Protocol for Managing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19) (Version 7) issued by China National Health Commission for clinically managing COVID-19. OBJECT: This review will focus on the antiviral mechanism, effectiveness and safety, dosage and DDIs of chloroquine, for the purpose to provide evidence-based support for rational use of chloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19. Method：Use the search terms 'chloroquine' linked with 'effectiveness', 'safety', 'mechanism', 'drug-drug interaction (DDIs)' or other terms respectively to search relevant literature through PubMed. RESULT: After searching, we found literature about antivirus mechanism, dosage, DDIs of chloroquine. However, studies of effectiveness and safety on chloroquine treatment of COVID-19 for the general and geriatric patients are not enough. CONCLUSION: According to literature reports, chloroquine has been proved to have anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect in vitro and the potential mechanism of chloroquine in vivo. Pharmacokinetic characteristics and DDIs study are helpful to guide rational drug use in general and geriatric patients. Although there have been reports of successful clinical application of chloroquine in treatment COVID-19，more clinical test data are still needed to prove its effectiveness and safety.