Chloronquine upsets electrolyte balance in the rabbit

Abstract

Chloroquine is still being used by some people for acute attack of malaria. The effect of long term chloroquine administration was studied on some blood parameters in the rabbits. This was undertaken to assess the study. After the acclimatization period, they were divided into a control group ‘A' and six experimental groups, B to G. The control group received distilled water for the period of treatment While the experimental groups ‘B' to ‘G' received a single dose, intramuscular injection of 10mg/kg body weight (kgw) of chloroquine phosphate, daily for 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 10 weeks respectively. At the end of the treatment, the animals were sacrificed using chloroform anesthesia. Blood was taken frosmthe heart by left ventricular cardiac puncture and analysed for urea while the serum was analysed for sodium, potassium, chloroquine and bicarbonate ions. From the results, it was observed that chloroquine administration reduced blood sugar level and potassium ions but increased sodium ion significantly. Bicarbonate ions, chloride and urea were not significantly affected. The results suggest that chloroquine administration upsets electrolyte balance, which may be implicated in heart block associated with long term chloroquine therapy.

Keywords: chloroquine, urea, electrolytes and rabbits

Mary Slessor Journal of Medicine Vol. 5(2) 2005: 13-16