[Chorea and chloroquine. A new treatment for an ancient malady]

Chloroquine is a drug used mainly as an anti-malaria agent with many other pharmacological properties. It was given to a patient with chorea and disseminated lupus erytematosus seeking the anti-inflammatory effect of the drug. The unexpected result on chorea hastened its use in 7 other patients with the same success. Chloroquine seems to be an effective drug for the relief of chorea. The mechanism of action is unknown.