Many antimalarial medicines and herbs have been linked to possible effects on fertility. One of these medicines is amodiaquine (AQ), a drug closely related to chloroquine. Chloroquine has been known to interfere with the female reproductive cycle, block ovulation, and reduce fertility — raising questions about whether amodiaquine might do the same.

A recent study set out to explore exactly that: Does amodiaquine hydrochloride (AQ.HCl) affect fertility in female rats?

How the Study Was Done

Researchers used 30 healthy adult female Sprague-Dawley rats, all weighing around 120 g. These rats were divided into six groups:

• Groups 1A, 1B, 1C received either
  • 6 mg/kg of AQ.HCl,
  • 12 mg/kg of AQ.HCl, or
  • distilled water (control)
    for 28 days to observe changes in their oestrous (reproductive) cycle.
• Groups 2A, 2B, 2C received a single dose of
  • 6 mg/kg,
  • 12 mg/kg, or
  • distilled water
    on the day before ovulation to check how the drug affects ovulation and certain reproductive hormones — FSH, LH, and prolactin.

What the Researchers Found

The results were interesting:

• Amodiaquine disrupted the rats’ reproductive cycle.
  The diestrus phase (a resting stage in the cycle) became significantly longer, while the other phases became shorter. This imbalance can interfere with normal fertility.
• Ovulation was affected.
  Rats treated with the drug released fewer eggs compared to the control group.
• No major hormone changes.
  Levels of FSH, LH, and prolactin remained similar to those in rats that did not receive the drug.

What This Means

The study suggests that oral amodiaquine hydrochloride may negatively affect female fertility by:

• disturbing the normal reproductive cycle
• reducing the number of eggs released during ovulation

Although this research was conducted in rats, it raises important questions about the possible effects of certain antimalarial drugs on reproductive health.