Zinc(II)—The Overlooked Éminence Grise of Chloroquine’s Fight against COVID-19?

• Main Authors: Aleksandra Hecel, Małgorzata Ostrowska, Kamila Stokowa-Sołtys, Joanna Wątły, Dorota Dudek, Adriana Miller, Sławomir Potocki, Agnieszka Matera-Witkiewicz, Alicia Dominguez-Martin, Henryk Kozłowski, Magdalena Rowińska-Żyrek
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
• Series: Pharmaceuticals
• Subjects: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; 2019-nCoV; Zn(II) ionophores; chloroquine; hydroxy- chloroquine
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/13/9/228

Zn(II) is an inhibitor of <i>SARS-CoV-2</i>′s RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are Zn(II) ionophores–this statement gives a curious mind a lot to think about. We show results of the first clinical trials on chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in the treatment of COVID-19, as well as earlier reports on the anticoronaviral properties of these two compounds and of Zn(II) itself. Other FDA-approved Zn(II) ionophores are given a decent amount of attention and are thought of as possible COVID-19 therapeutics.