Definition

Noun: - A brand name for the drug hydroxychloroquine, which is an anti-inflammatory and antimalarial medication. It is primarily used to treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosus, and it is also used to prevent and treat malaria.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The rheumatologist prescribed Plaquenil to manage her lupus symptoms.
  • Before traveling to the region, he took Plaquenil for malaria prophylaxis.
  • A common side effect of long-term Plaquenil use is the potential for retinal damage.

Advanced Usage

• "to be on Plaquenil": to be taking this medication as part of a treatment regimen.
  • She has been on Plaquenil for her rheumatoid arthritis for five years.

Variants and Related Words

• Hydroxychloroquine (n): The generic, non-brand name for the drug Plaquenil.
  • The pharmacy dispensed the generic hydroxychloroquine instead of the brand-name Plaquenil.
• Antimalarial (n/adj): A drug used to prevent or treat malaria; describing such a drug.
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) (n): A category of drugs, which includes Plaquenil, used to treat autoimmune arthritis by slowing disease progression.

Synonyms

• Hydroxychloroquine: The direct generic equivalent.
• Antimalarial agent: Describes its function against malaria.
• Immunosuppressant / Immunomodulator: Describes its function in autoimmune conditions (though its mechanism is distinct from classic immunosuppressants).

Important Note

• Plaquenil is a registered trademark. In medical contexts, the generic name hydroxychloroquine is often used interchangeably, especially in scientific literature and formal prescribing.

Noun

1. anti-inflammatory drug (trade name Plaquenil) used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and malaria and lupus erythematosus