The interaction of chloroquine with transport ATPase and acetylcholine esterase in microsomal membranes of rat in vitro and in vivo.

Chloroquine, an antimalarial drug has been found to inhibit Na+, K+-ATPase activity in vitro in the microsomal membranes of rat brain on time, temperature and concentration dependent manner. There have been stimulation of Na+,K+-ATPase, Ca+2-ATPase and acetylcholine esterase activities in vivo studies at lower concentration of drug or shorter period of treatment with the drug, whereas higher concentrations or longer periods of treatment lead to inhibition in the microsomal membranes of different organs.