Toxic Effect of Chloroquine on Porphyria Hepatica

New concepts in antimalarial use and mode of action in dermatology

“…The discovery of the use of antimalarial therapy in PCT was made when patients were given hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine and resulted in acute exacerbation of hepatic disease (94,95). However, recovery from the acute exacerbation resulted in long‐term clinical remission.…”

Enzymes and Drug Sensitivity

“…A careful survey of the literature reveals that in such instances there was no history of abuse of alcohol. In contradistinction, the cases exhibiting intolerance to chloroquine and reported by Davis & Vander Ploeg (1957) Curtis (1962) and Bell & Warnock (1963), among others, had all been heavy drinkers and had subsequently developed cutaneous porphyria. I notice, however, that in the paper by Teodorescu et al (1959) similar sensitivity to administered chloroquine was observed in a patient who had suffered from infective hepatitis and who had subsequently developed a cutaneous porphyria.…”

Porphyria Cutanea Tarda

“…This case is shown for two reasons: (1) To demonstrate the lack of effect in this group of antimalarial drugs. Marsden (1959) reported 2 patients who developed transient porphyrinuria whilst on antimalarial drugs, and Cripps & Curtis (1962) presented 3 patients with porphyria who suffered exacerbations of their symptoms when given chloroquine. The present patient showed no deterioration when given either chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine for a period of five days with each drug.…”