Blood, 1946, Vol. 1, No. 6, pp. 537-547.
© 1946 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
HEMATOLOGICAL CHANGES FOLLOWING THE ADMINISTRATION OF
LARGE DOSES OF QUINACRINE HYDROCHLORIDE
CHARLES W. MUSHETT PH.D.1 and
HENRY SIEGEL M.D.1
1 Department of Biology, Graduate School of Arts and Science, New York University, New
York, N. Y., and the Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, Rahway, N. J.
The administration of quinacrine to rats, mice, rabbits, hamsters, guinea-pigs,
dogs, monkeys, chickens, and ducks results in definite hematological changes.
Peculiar basophilic inclusions, usually associated with vacuoles, appear in the
cytoplasm of lymphocytes of all nine species following drug therapy. Inclusions of
a similar nature are seen in erythrocytes of the rat, mouse, and hamster and rarely
in monocytes of the rat.
The rat shows an anemia, polynucleosis, lymphopenia, and monocytosis after
quinacrine dosing. None of the other species develop a leukocytosis or monocytosis,
but they sometimes show a polynucleosis and lymphopenia after quinacrine therapy. Leukopenia occurs in the monkey and occasionally in the dog following the
use of this drug.
Note:
ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Grateful acknowledgment is due to Drs. H. Molitor and
H. A. Charipper, who so willingly gave of their time in discussing this problem
and in offering suggestions and criticisms.
