Description
Clioquinol (CQ or iodochlorhydroxyquin, 5-chloro-7-iodo-8-hydroxyquinoline) is a hydrophobic chelator of copper, zinc, and iron. It was extensively used as an antibiotic for the treatment of diarrhea and skin infection in the mid-1900s, but then withdrawn because it was reported to be associated with subacute myelo-optic neuropathy (SMON) in Japan. Interest in this drug was recently revived as it was shown that CQ specifically kills cancer cells and significantly decreases A level. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of CQs drug effects and side effects are still unclear.