Quinine
About Quinine
Quinine belongs to the class of 'anti-malarial drugs', primarily used to treat and prevent malaria. Malaria is a disease caused by a plasmodium parasite transmitted by the bite of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. When an infected mosquito bites a healthy person, it transmits the 'Plasmodium parasite' into the bloodstream, which affects the red blood cells and liver cells. Malaria symptoms usually start ten days to four weeks after the infection. They include chills, high fever, profuse sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, anaemia, muscle pain, convulsions, coma and bloody stools.
Quinine contains Quinine which treats malaria. It treats malaria by increasing the levels of hemozoin (a toxic substance to the malarial parasite) in the blood. As a result, it kills the parasite and helps to stop the infection from spreading further.
Quinine should be taken as prescribed by the doctor. Your doctor will decide the dose and duration based on your medical condition. Common side effects of Quinine include headache, dizziness, loss of appetite, weakness, fever, chills, tiredness, muscle/joint pain, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cough and trouble sleeping. These side effects are not familiar to everyone and vary individually. If you notice any side effects that are not manageable, please consult your doctor.
Before using Quinine, inform your doctor if you recently used any prescription and non-prescription medications, including other anti-malarial or antibiotic drugs. Let your doctor know if you are allergic to Quinine or its components. Inform your doctor if you have any liver or kidney problems or severe heart diseases. Let your doctor know if you are pregnant, planning to conceive, or a breastfeeding mother. Avoiding alcohol is recommended to rule out any possibility of side effects.
Uses of Quinine
Medicinal Benefits
Quinine belongs to the class of 'anti-malarial drugs,' containing Quinine, primarily used to treat and prevent malaria. It is also used to treat and prevent nighttime cramps in the legs. It treats malaria by increasing the levels of hemozoin (a toxic substance to the malarial parasite) in the blood. As a result, it kills the parasite and helps to stop the infection from spreading further.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Quinine
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Flushing of the skin
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Deafness
- Tiredness
- Loss of appetite
- Problems with vision or hearing.
- Increased sweating
- Nausea
- Diarrhoea
Drug Warnings
Let your doctor know if you use any antibiotic drugs or have recently undergone treatment with other anti-malarial drugs. Inform your doctor if you have any allergic reactions to Quinine or its components. Brief your medical history to the doctor if you have any liver or kidney problems, malarial infection of the brain, lungs or kidneys, severe heart diseases, electrolyte imbalance, hypokalemia (low potassium levels) or hypomagnesemia (low magnesium levels) before taking Quinine. This medicine may affect QT prolongation which can cause serious fast/irregular heartbeat. Hence it is advised to inform your doctor if you have any heart-related problems like heart failure, slow heartbeat, QT prolongation in EKG or ECG (electrocardiogram) and a family history of heart diseases. It is not recommended during the first three months of pregnancy. Do not use this medicine during breastfeeding. Once you have completed the course, you should wait at least one week before starting to breastfeed again. However, it is essential to let your doctor know if you are pregnant, planning to conceive or a breastfeeding mother. Avoiding alcohol is recommended to rule out any possibility of side effects like dizziness or drowsiness.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Quinine is known to interact with anti-asthma medicines (aminophylline, theophylline), antibiotics (azithromycin, clarithromycin, levofloxacin, tetracycline), antidepressants (citalopram, amitriptyline, clomipramine, desipramine), anti-fungal medicines (itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole), cholesterol-lowering medicines (atorvastatin, simvastatin, lovastatin), decongestants (dextromethorphan), HIV medications (atazanavir, indinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir), seizure medicines (carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenytoin, primidone), stomach ulcer medicines (cimetidine, ranitidine), anti-tuberculosis medicines (rifampicin, rifabutin), mental illness medicines (haloperidol, thioridazine), antiparkinson disease (amantadine).
Drug-Food Interactions: This medicine may interact with St John's Wort plant (a natural remedy to treat depression) and alcohol.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Quinine is known to interact in patients with heart disease or who have irregular heartbeats, severe glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD), liver or kidney problem, myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakness problem), ocular toxicity (visual disturbances).
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionAvoid alcohol consumption while using Quinine since it may cause serious side effects.
Pregnancy
cautionQuinine is not recommended during the first three months of pregnancy. Your doctor may recommend other alternative medication. Please consult your doctor if you are pregnant or planning pregnancy before taking Quinine.
Breast Feeding
cautionQuinine is not recommended during breastfeeding. Once you have completed the course, you should wait at least one week to start breastfeeding again. Please consult your doctor for more information.
Driving
unsafeQuinine may make you sleepy or dizzy or cause blurry vision. In such cases, do not drive or operate machinery.
Liver
cautionLet your doctor know if you have any history of liver diseases before using Quinine. Your liver functioning should be monitored closely while being treated with Quinine.
Kidney
cautionLet your doctor know if you have any history of kidney diseases before using Quinine. Your doctor may suggest tests to monitor your kidney function if required.
Children
cautionQuinine should be used in children only when prescribed by a child specialist.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Take nutritious food, including fresh fruits and vegetables, to help recover from malarial fever.
- During malarial fever, the patient may experience appetite loss. In such cases, drink glucose water, fresh fruit juices and coconut water.
- Include high-fibre foods like green leafy vegetables and fruits to aid digestion.
- Take proper rest to help your body relax and heal faster.
- Avoid or limit the intake of alcohol and caffeine.
Special Advise
- Inform your doctor that you are taking Quinine if you are undergoing medical tests.
- Regular monitoring of heart function with ECG or EKG is necessary.
- Liver and kidney function tests are recommended to rule out any chances of kidney or liver impairment.
- Quinine may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal birth control such as pills, patches or rings. This could cause pregnancy.
- Regularly undergo eye tests while taking Quinine.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Malaria: Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites entering the body through mosquito bites. This is a common disease in countries like Africa, South America and Southern Asia. This disease usually occurs when an Anopheles mosquito (infected with the parasite 'Plasmodium') bites a healthy individual and transfers the parasite into the bloodstream. Parasites that cause malaria include Plasmodium vivax, P. ovale, P. malaria and P. falciparum. Malaria symptoms usually start ten days to four weeks after the infection. They include chills, high fever, profuse sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, anaemia, muscle pain, convulsions, coma and bloody stools.
FAQs
Quinine belongs to the class of 'anti-malarial drugs', containing Quinine, that treats malaria by increasing the levels of hemozoin (a toxic substance to the malarial parasite) in the blood. As a result, it kills the parasite and helps to stop the infection from spreading further.
If you have or have previously had Long QT syndrome, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G-6-PD), myasthenia gravis (a muscular problem), optic neuritis (inflammation of the nerves in your eyes), or if taking Quinine in the past caused bleeding, you should not take it.
Quinine can cause a lowering of blood sugar levels. So, if you are diabetic, please inform your doctor before starting Quinine, and dose adjustment might be required depending upon your medical condition.
No, finish the prescribed course even if you start to feel better. Stopping it early may make the infection come back and harder to treat.
Quinine may affect the heart rhythm and cause QT prolongation (heart muscle takes longer than usual to recharge between beats). This QT prolongation can cause a serious fast/irregular heartbeat. Hence it is advised to inform your doctor if you have any heart-related problems like heart failure, slow heartbeat, QT prolongation in EKG or ECG (electrocardiogram) and a family history of heart diseases.
It is advised to have regular eye checkups while using Quinine. Consult your doctor if you face any change in vision.
