Chloroquine Phosphate (chloroquine phosphate)

Dosage of chloroquine phosphate is expressed in terms of chloroquine phosphate or in terms of the base (chloroquine).

Each 500-mg tablet of chloroquine phosphate contains 300 mg of the chloroquine.

The manufacturer makes no specific recommendations regarding the need for dosage adjustment in individuals with renal impairment; however, chloroquine is substantially eliminated by the kidneys.

The manufacturer makes no specific recommendations regarding the need for dosage adjustment in individuals with hepatic impairment; however, chloroquine should be used with caution in individuals with hepatic disease.

Chloroquine phosphate is administered orally. Adverse GI effects may be minimized by administering oral chloroquine with a meal.

Chloroquine also has been administered parenterally+ as chloroquine hydrochloride, but a parenteral dosage form is no longer commercially available in the US.

No dosing information is available for this tab.

No dosing information is available for this tab.

There is no enhanced messaging for this drug.

There are no contraindication interactions for this drug.

There are no severe interactions for this drug.

There are no moderate interactions for this drug.

There is no enhanced messaging for this drug.

There are no contraindication contraindications for this drug.

There are no severe contraindications for this drug.

There are no moderate contraindications for this drug.

There is no enhanced messaging for this drug.

There are no severe adverse reactions for this drug.

There are no less severe adverse reactions for this drug.

No enhanced messaging available.

No enhanced messaging available.

Studies in pregnant mice indicate that chloroquine readily crosses the placenta, accumulates selectively in the melanin structures of the fetal eyes, and is retained in the ocular tissue for 5 months after the drug has been eliminated from the rest of the body. Use of chloroquine during pregnancy in a dosage of 250 mg twice daily for the treatment of lupus erythematosus+ has resulted in loss of eighth nerve function, posterior column defects, and mental retardation in several children; retinal degeneration has also been reported in 2 children whose mother received chloroquine during both pregnancies.

Although there are no adequate and well-controlled studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of chloroquine in pregnant women, the drug has been used for prevention and treatment of malaria in pregnant women without evidence of adverse effects on the fetus.

The manufacturer states that chloroquine should be avoided during pregnancy, except for prevention or treatment of malaria when the clinician has determined that possible benefits of the drug outweigh potential risks to the fetus.

CDC states that pregnancy is not a contraindication to use of chloroquine when the drug is indicated for prevention or treatment of malaria.

Small amounts of chloroquine and desethylchloroquine (major metabolite with antiplasmodial activity) are distributed into breast milk. Following single 300- or 600-mg oral doses of chloroquine in lactating women, maximum ingestion of the drug in breastfed infants is estimated to be 0.4-0.7% of a dose daily (up to about 4.2% of a single dose during 9 days of nursing). Although it is expected that larger amounts of the drug would be ingested from breast milk during long-term chloroquine prophylaxis, the resultant amount of drug consumed by nursing infants still is likely to be small.

The manufacturer states that, because of the potential for serious adverse effects from chloroquine in nursing infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the woman. The risk to nursing infants of women receiving chronic chloroquine therapy (e.g., for rheumatoid arthritis+) is not known. Although further study is necessary, some clinicians suggest that the risk to nursing infants of maternal use of chloroquine in dosages used for prevention of malaria is thought to be low. However, the risk of low concentrations of the drug in nursing infants for promoting Plasmodium resistance is not known.

The amount of drug transferred in breast milk would be insufficient to provide adequate protection against malaria in nursing infants. If prevention of malaria is necessary, such infants should receive recommended dosages of appropriate antimalarial agent(s).

No enhanced messaging available.