Endocrine Abstracts

Oral administration of chloroquine (CHQ) evokes adverse effects on glucose homeostasis and kidney function possibly due to transiently high plasma CHQ concentration or malaria. We have, however, reported that transdermally administered CHQ via the pectin CHQ-matrix patch formulation sustains controlled CHQ release into the bloodstream in experimental animals. Accordingly, the current study was designed to compare the ability of oral and transdermal CHQ treatments to clear parasites of P. berghei infected rats. The other objective was to distinguish between the effects of malaria and CHQ treatments on blood glucose, blood pressure and kidney function. To prepare the patch, pectin was dissolved in deionized water followed by adding CHQ, DMSO and antioxidants. After freezing, CaCl₂ was added for cross-linking and patch formation. Parasitaemia, blood glucose and renal function were monitored in separate groups of non-infected and P. berghei-infected rats treated twice daily with oral CHQ (30 mg) or once off topical application of the pectin-CHQ matrix patch (28 mg) over a 21-day period divided into days of pre-treatment (0–7), treatment (8–12) and post-treatment (13–21). Oral CHQ treatment significantly decreased blood glucose concentrations of both the non-infected and infected animals. By day 5 oral CHQ treatment, blood glucose concentrations of non-infected and infected rats were reduced to values ranging from 2.93 to 3.03 mmol/l whilst transdermal treatment had no significant effects on blood glucose levels (5.44±0.31 mmol/l). On the other hand, oral and transdermal treatments equally reduced P. berghei parasites to levels that were undetectable by day 5. Oral CHQ treatment increased urinary Na⁺ and K⁺ excretion of non-infected and P. berghei-infected rats whilst the pectin-CHQ matrix patch did not influence these parameters. We conclude that the pectin-CHQ matrix patch has the potential avert the adverse effects that are associated with oral administration of CHQ.