Overview

Aralen was a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat malaria. Aralen was also prescribed to treat inflammation associated with lupus. Aralen is also known by its drug name, chloroquine. 

Aralen was believed to work by interfering in communication between the cells of the immune system. 

How was it taken?

Aralen was usually taken once a day, with food.

Side effects

Common side effects of Aralen included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, loss of appetite, and visual disturbances (blurry vision or difficulty focusing).

Rare but serious side effects included retinopathy (irreversible retinal damage), muscle weakness, hearing loss, seizures, hepatitis (liver inflammation), blood disorders such as aplastic anemia and low blood cell counts, and serious skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.

For more information about this treatment, visit:

Chloroquine — MedlinePlus