What does chloroquine mean?
Chloroquine is a synthetic antimalarial drug belonging to the quinoline family of compounds. Developed in the twentieth century as a more tolerable alternative to quinine, it works by interfering with the malaria parasite's ability to break down haemoglobin within red blood cells. For decades it was the mainstay of both malaria prevention and treatment, particularly for travellers visiting endemic regions, and it has also been prescribed at lower doses for autoimmune conditions such as lupus. Over time, however, Plasmodium strains in many parts of the world evolved resistance, greatly limiting chloroquine's clinical usefulness in those areas. The word appears chiefly in medical, pharmacological, and public-health writing, and is often paired with terms like phosphate (its common salt form) or resistant (describing parasites unaffected by it). Though less prominent in modern practice, chloroquine remains historically significant as one of medicine's most influential antimalarial agents.
nounA synthetic drug used to prevent and treat malaria, belonging to the quinoline class of compounds; it is also used in the treatment of certain autoimmune conditions such as lupus.
- The drug chloroquine itself, used to prevent and treat malaria.
- Chloroquine phosphate or related salts used in treating autoimmune diseases such as lupus.
"Travellers to sub-Saharan Africa are often advised to take chloroquine as a prophylactic against malaria."
"Chloroquine was long considered the first-line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria before resistance spread."
"In low doses, hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have been used to manage symptoms of lupus erythematosus."
Rarely pluralised; typically treated as an uncountable substance name. A plural form may appear when referring to different salt preparations or formulations.
"Several chloroquines were tested for their activity against resistant strains."
Chloroquine, once a staple of malaria treatment worldwide, became so widely taken that resistant strains of the parasite evolved — turning one of medicine's great triumphs into a cautionary tale about overuse.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chloroquine
The name chloroquine combines the prefix 'chloro-' (from Greek 'chloros', meaning green or yellow-green) with 'quine', an element borrowed from 'quinine', which itself derives from the Quechua word for cinchona bark. It was coined when German chemists synthesised the compound in the 1930s as part of a search for synthetic substitutes for natural quinine. It shares this quin- root with other antimalarial agents such as hydroxychloroquine and primaquine.
How chloroquine is actually used
Primarily encountered in medical, pharmaceutical, and public-health contexts rather than everyday speech. In many malaria-endemic regions its use has declined due to widespread parasite resistance.
Easily confused with chloroquine
Quinine is a natural alkaloid derived from cinchona bark, whereas chloroquine is a synthetic derivative developed later and structurally related to it.