How Does Chloroquine / Hydroxychloroquine Work?
Acids and Bases
These drugs have interesting biochemical properties that may also be effective against other viral infections. Viruses are sensitive to pH changes, and the antiviral effects of inhibiting pH-dependent steps (increasing endosomal, virus vacuole pH) required for viral replication is one mechanism of their action. Trials of several viruses including flaviviruses, retroviruses, and coronaviruses have been successful using this approach (8,9).
When the Coronavirus infects the cell, it injects a messenger RNA into the cell for ribosomes to translate it. These ribosomes will translate RNA into a protein called RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. This enzyme is inhibited by high intracellular levels of zinc . This is the hypothesized mechanism as to which zinc ionophores, such as hydroxychloroquine and natural alternatives, work to prevent the widespread replication of COVID-19.
Zinc Ionophore
Chloroquine is also a zinc ionophore (10). An ionophore chauffeurs zinc in and out of the cell. Zinc is known to inhibit viral RNA polymerase (13). It essentially limits the ability of the virus to replicate itself and overwhelm the cell. Zinc is not a novel substance that only comes into play with COVID-19, but rather an essential mineral integral to cellular processes throughout the body. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states:
Institutes of Health (NIH) states:
“Zinc is involved in numerous aspects of cellular metabolism. It is required for the catalytic activity of approximately 100 enzymes [1,2] and it plays a role in immune function [3,4], protein synthesis [4], wound healing [5], DNA synthesis [2,4], and cell division [4]. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence [6-8] and is required for proper sense of taste and smell [9].”