Could chloroquine be useful in treating ME/CFS

[RYO]

It appears researchers studying Zika virus have found chloroquine useful as potential antiviral treatment.

Pubmed search results in several other studies.

"Targeting endosomal acidification by chloroquine analogs as a promising strategy for the treatment of emerging viral diseases."

If we had enough funding, perhaps chloroquine could be studied as potential treatment for ME/CFS.

 

[junkcrap50]

Perhaps. Might help the autoimmune part too. From wikipedia:

"Against rheumatoid arthritis, it operates by inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation, phospholipase A2, antigen presentation in dendritic cells, release of enzymes from lysosomes, release of reactive oxygen species from macrophages, and production of IL-1".

I started hydroxychloroquine to help with my auto-antibodies and prevent it developing into full blown autoimmune disease. The first 3 weeks I felt a huge improvement, but then was exposed to mold and VOCs and had a huge flare/relapse where I was bedbound for 3 months. For reasons, too long to explain, the dosage I'm on after the first month of hydroxychloroquine is 1/2 of what I initially started with. And 1/4 of what one of my rheumatologists suggested me starting at. So I'm hoping I can increase it and see some benefits again.

 

[Jesse2233]

Dr Montoya and Dr Bonilla have just started using hydfoxycloroquine with their patients

 

[RYO]

Dr Montoya and Dr Bonilla have just started using hydfoxycloroquine with their patients

Do you know what dose? Also do you know in which setting Dr Montoya is using this medication? (ie in conjunction with other antivirals? Helpful for fatigue, brain fog, or musculoskeletal complaints? Medication taken long term?)

Also, I wonder if hydroxychloroquine has same antiviral effects as chloroquine?

 

[Jesse2233]

Do you know what dose? Also do you know in which setting Dr Montoya is using this medication? (ie in conjunction with other antivirals? Helpful for fatigue, brain fog, or musculoskeletal complaints? Medication taken long term?)

Also, I wonder if hydroxychloroquine has same antiviral effects as chloroquine?

I will check on the dose

His clinic is prescribing it in conjunction with Valacyclovir, LDN, dark chocolate, and an aggressive rest protocol

 

[Sushi]

Just anecdotally: I took chloroquine as an anti-malarial but I didn't notice any effect on my ME/CFS symptoms.

 

[pattismith]

I will check on the dose

His clinic is prescribing it in conjunction with Valacyclovir, LDN, dark chocolate, and an aggressive rest protocol

I already take dark chocolate, I am on the good way

 

[Hip]

Chloroquine has been shown to be antiviral for CVB3 in vitro, but this antiviral effect might not manifest in vivo, as when you take the drug orally at normal doses, as according to some calculations I made, you don't get high enough plasma concentrations of the drug.

Chloroquine pharmacokinetic calculations are hard to figure out though, because in the body the tissue concentration of chloroquine is around 300 times higher than the blood plasma concentration, and so I am not sure if my calculation (which was based on blood plasma rather than tissue levels) properly represents how chloroquine acts in the body.

If I base the calculations on the 300 times higher tissue concentrations, then oral chloroquine does show some modest antiviral effects against coxsackievirus B.



One downside of chloroquine is that it can cause psychosis as a side effect, and in ME/CFS patients who already have neuropsychological symptoms resulting from their illness, perhaps this might be a concern.

 

[Learner1]

It can reduce mitochondrial function, too:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/7896309/

Abstract

Chloroquine causes an increase in phospholipid and a decrease in cholesterol in liver mitochondria. A significant decrease in the activities of mitochondrial inner membrane enzymes such as NADH dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase is observed.

Decrease in cytochrome contents and respiratory control ratio, shown by a decrease in state 3(+ADP) and an increase in state 4 (-ADP), implies decreased ATP synthesis following chloroquine administration.

The results confirm drug-induced inhibition of mitochondrial respiration, thereby impairing availability and utilisation of energy.