Cloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine: the Yin-yang of these Drugs from a Theoretical Study

Abstract

On November 12, 2019 the first case of infection of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was identified at Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in China. Regardless of the origin of this virus, which is uncertain, it has produced a pandemic that has been the cause of human deaths worldwide. Two drugs are being used as antiviral against this virus; cloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, although controversy exists concerning their effectiveness. The main objective of this report is to present the electronic properties of cloroquine and hydroxychloroquine that might help explain the action mechanisms against virus. The idea that emerges from this study is that acid-base equilibrium is not the only criteria of importance to explain the action mechanism, but that the oxide-reduction balance may also help explain the toxicity or effectiveness of these drugs. Being molecules able to oxidize other molecules is similar to yin-yang; a dualism that describes contrary forces, as oxidation may produce dysfunction and affect the conditions needed for viral infection, replication and propagation of the virus, but also contribute to increasing oxidative stress. These results offer a further step along the path of understanding these action mechanisms.