• ENG

COVID-19 treatment: Anti-malaria drugs can be toxic if used with diabetes meds

COVID-19 treatment: Anti-malaria drugs can be toxic if used with diabetes meds
A study has found increased number of deaths in patients treated with hydroxychloroquine.

Researchers are testing the efficacy of anti-malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine (CQ) in COVID-19 treatment. Meanwhile, a new study has warned that these anti-malaria drugs may be toxic when combined with a common diabetes drug.

Written by Longjam Dineshwori |Updated : April 7, 2020 1:33 PM IST

As there are currently no vaccine for the novel coronavirus, researchers are testing if existing drugs used to treat some viral infections can also fight COVID-19. Studies are underway in many countries to test the effectiveness of malaria pills - chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ ) in treating COVID-19 cases.

Despite very scant evidence, HCQ and CQ have been touted as a possible treatment for COVID-19. US President Donald Trump has called these drugs a "game-changer" in the fight against Covid-19.

However, a new study has warned that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine may be toxic when combined with a common diabetes drug. The study was published online on scientific pre-print server BioRxiv.

Also Read

More News

The researchers found that 30-40% of mice treated with a combination of HCQ or CQ and diabetes drug metformin, died. But treatment with the same dose of either drug alone had no effect on the survival of the mice. This indicates that there is still some possibility of getting the benefits of the drugs in COVID-19 treatment, when used separately.

Why the Focus on Malaria Drugs?

There is still no cure or vaccine for COVID-19 . Currently, even the most severely ill patients largely receive only supportive care such as breathing assistance.But scientists around the world are in race against time to find a solution to end this pandemic.

Earlier, a combination of anti-HIV drugs Lopinavir and Ritonavir was widely recommended for use in treatment of COVID-19. However, a study in China found that the treatment with this combination drug led to no better outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Possibly after that researchers shifted their attention to malaria pills to fight against the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

Some researchers have already started using malaria pills - chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for treating people infected with the novel coronavirus. Studies are underway in many countries, including China, France and the United States, to see the effectiveness of the pills. However, there is still no firm evidence to show that they are effective.

According to CDC, some U.S. clinicians have started anecdotal use of hydroxychloroquine at different doses to treat coronavirus patients.

Chloroquine is a synthetic form of quinine found on the bark of the cinchona plant. It has been used since ancient times to treat fever. Hydroxychloroquine is a less toxic version. Currently, both the drugs are used to combat malaria. Research also indicate that chloroquine could be used against some viral infections.

What is the development?

Most of the trails are in the preliminary stage. So, it is not clear yet if these drugs are effective against COVID-19 or not. A French research team who conducted a 24-patient trial of hydroxychloroquine reported their initial results last week. It showed that 25% of patients given the drug still carried the coronavirus after six days. Results on patient outcomes are still awaited.

However, trial results from Chinese researchers showed that chloroquine treatment of COVID-19 patients had clinical and virologic benefits. Chloroquine treatment is now recommended for the coronavirus illness in China.

A 30-patient Shanghai study of hydroxychloroquine showed the drug worked no better than standard care for patients with COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the University of Minnesota has launched a 1,500-person trial to see whether hydroxychloroquine can prevent or reduce the severity of COVID-19.

The United Kingdom, Norway and Thailand are also conducting trials of the malaria drugs.

Click here for our latest updates on coronavirus