title: Treatment of porphyria cutanea tarda by the effect of chloroquine on the liver.
abstract: Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is characterized by cutaneous symptoms in association with hepatic accumulation and urinary excretion of mainly uro- and heptacarboxyporphyrins. 24 PCT patients excreting urinary porphyrins between 1.9 and 5.8 mumol/24 h (normal < 0.2) were treated with chloroquine at a dose of 125 mg twice a week. During the first phase of therapy urinary porphyrin excretion transiently increased 1.1- to 2.9-fold indicating a phase of mobilization. A slight initial elevation was also found regarding the activities of serum aminotransferases reflecting the hepatotoxic effect of chloroquine. The clinical symptoms disappeared after a period ranging from 2 to 6 months, and after an average of 12 months the porphyrin excretion in all patients had returned to nearly normal values.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Biochemistry, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Freesemann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sieg
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Doss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017119:Porphyria Cutanea Tarda / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000652:urine; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D000637:Transaminases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011166:Porphyrins; D002738:Chloroquine; D000637:Transaminases