In Vitro Inhibition of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus by Chloroquine

Overview

Journal Biochem Biophys Res Commun

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 2004 Sep 8

PMID 15351731

Citations 346

Authors

Els Keyaerts

Leen Vijgen

Piet Maes

Johan Neyts

Marc Van Ranst

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We report on chloroquine, a 4-amino-quinoline, as an effective inhibitor of the replication of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in vitro. Chloroquine is a clinically approved drug effective against malaria. We tested chloroquine phosphate for its antiviral potential against SARS-CoV-induced cytopathicity in Vero E6 cell culture. Results indicate that the IC50 of chloroquine for antiviral activity (8.8 +/- 1.2 microM) was significantly lower than its cytostatic activity; CC50 (261.3 +/- 14.5 microM), yielding a selectivity index of 30. The IC50 of chloroquine for inhibition of SARS-CoV in vitro approximates the plasma concentrations of chloroquine reached during treatment of acute malaria. Addition of chloroquine to infected cultures could be delayed for up to 5h postinfection, without an important drop in antiviral activity. Chloroquine, an old antimalarial drug, may be considered for immediate use in the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV infections.

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