Abstract
Methods for the determination of hydroxychloroquine, desethylchloroquine (SN-13616), bisdesethylchloroquine (SN-13617), desethylhydroxychloroquine, and 4-amino-7-chloroquinoline have been developed and applied to studies of the metabolism of these compounds in man and monkey. The data obtained are in accord with the concept that the metabolic degradation of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine proceeds by the formation, in order, of: 1) the secondary amine (either desethylchloroquine or desethylhydroxychloroquine); 2) the primary amine (SN-13617); 3) the 4'-aldehyde; and 4) the 4'-carboxy derivative. To a minor extent the 4'-aldehyde is apparently reduced to the alcohol, but the latter (in the monkey) is in turn largely converted to the 4'-carboxy compound. 4-Amino-7-chloroquinoline appears at the most to be a very minor degradation product of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine.
Footnotes
- Accepted October 18, 1965.
- The Williams & Wilkins Comapny