Effect of chloroquine on diabetes control in type 2 diabetic patients

As the control of diabetes is important, finding the ways which facilitates patient’s, treatment is the major aim for this research. Chloroquine was considered for diabetes treatment because of its hypoglycemic effects. This study was conducted to detect the effect of chloroquine on diabetes control in type 2 diabetic patients. In a clinical trial, type 2 diabetic patients referred to Isfahan Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center during the year of 1999-2001 who had inclusion criteria using a convenience sampling method were selected. Selected patients were type 2 diabetic patients under treatment with oral antidiabetic agents, in whom the disease had not been controlled, and so were candidates for insulin therapy. In this group, beside other drugs, one tablet of chloroquine was recommended for two months. Weight, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBS), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and other laboratory tests were checked before and after 2 months administration of the drugs and the corresponding values were compared. Mean FBS, HbA1c and BS2hpp were decreased significantly (FBS1= 183.07±65.12, FBS2 = 131.92±26.59, P<0.05), HbA1c1 = 10.36±2.05, HbA1C2 = 8.36±1.32, P<0.05), (BS2hpp1 = 254.7±104.2, BS2hpp2 = 195.54±59.8, P<0.05). Other variables did not change significantly. Results of this study show that chloroquine decreases did serum glucose level in type 2 diabetic patients who are resistant to oral anti-diabetic agents. This effect is due to role of chloroquine in decreasing degradation, thus increased glucose exposure to cells.