COVID-19 TREATMENT: WHAT IS HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE?

As of now, the treatment for the vicious COVID-19 is symptomatic i.e., solely based on the observable symptoms in an infected patient. Appropriate medication is provided, pinpointed to these symptoms, in an attempt to subdue the adverse effects of the infection in the patient.

News of a new drug, Hydroxychloroquine, is making the world go crazy over the fact that this might be the end of our suffering during the pandemic. Believe it or not, this drug has been in the market since 1955, the year it was approved for use by the US. Hydroxychloroquine is commonly sold under the brand name Plaquenil and is used for the treatment of diseases like Malaria, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. 

Let's understand the similarities between these three diseases:

Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite that is carried by the female Anopheline mosquito. Upon being infected by the mosquito, the malarial parasites invade the red blood cells (RBCs) of our body for further growth and development. Following this, the grown parasites (aka merozoites), rupture the RBCs and continue to invade other RBCs in a continuous cycle. 

Lupus erythematosus and Rheumatoid arthritis are auto-immune diseases where the immune system of the body starts producing antibodies against the healthy cells thereby, attacking and killing them.

If observed carefully, all three of these diseases follow a common pattern i.e., rupturing/killing of cells. If you've read my previous blog on 'CORONAVIRUS: HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOUR BODY?', this comparison I just made will surely ring a bell. 

Hydroxychloroquine is being referred to as the 'cure' for Coronavirus but there are two sides to a coin, which means that there are both positive and negative sides to this miracle drug. 

There is no absolute proof that this drug can completely cure Coronavirus, however, it can be taken as a prophylactic medicine. Prophylactic medicines are used as a preventive measure (i.e., it can be taken even if the body has not been infected yet). They help in preventing the spread or occurrence of the disease in the body. 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of hydroxychloroquine for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 weighing over 50 kilograms as a desperate attempt to control the emergency of the global pandemic. This drug mainly prevents the spread of coronavirus inside the body. It comes as an oral tablet and it is usually taken along with other medicines like azithromycin.

Intensive research is still going on to prove the potential link between this drug and coronavirus but nothing has been proved so far except one fact that may be somewhat relevant to this case: 

The virus releases its genetic material (i.e., single-stranded RNA) into the cell in order to facilitate the production of more viruses in the host's body. In order to accomplish this, the virus requires an acidic environment. Hydroxychloroquine is an alkaline compound which increases the pH of the host cells hence, preventing the virus from releasing its genes into the cytoplasm of the cells. This way the virus is not able to affect the body. 

The idea of this drug being used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients came from studies that were carried out in France and China where they observed the drug to take a significant load off the viral infection. Then again, only those patients who were not severely infected showed a good response to this drug. 

No No! Don't get your hopes up yet! Like I said, there are two sides of a coin. Some facts about hydroxychloroquine will force you to think twice before you plan on taking this drug. 

Several people who took this medication did not respond well to it and were hospitalized due to side effects ranging from mild allergies to severe heart problems. Other symptoms may include blurred vision, dizziness, muscle weakness, fever, chills, painful urination, etc. It may also affect the skin causing skin irritation, ulcers, blisters, red skin lesions, sores, etc. Some patients also experience hypoglycemia/ low blood sugar. 

Hydroxychloroquine is mostly taken by patients and health care workers because it's potential advantages to an individual exceeds the dangers. 

However, it should be taken only if prescribed by a doctor. The dosage must be clearly understood and the drug should not be taken for an extended period. 

WARNING: DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG IF YOU ARE NOT IN THREAT OF EXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS. 

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