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Treatment of uncomplicated or severe malaria, especially due to Plasmodium falciparum (when artemisinin-based combination therapies are not available or contraindicated)
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Sometimes used for nocturnal leg cramps (off-label and discouraged due to safety concerns)
Typical Adult Dosage (for malaria):
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Oral: 600 mg quinine sulfate every 8 hours for 7 days (often combined with doxycycline or clindamycin)
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IV (severe malaria): Quinine dihydrochloride, 20 mg/kg loading dose over 4 hours, then 10 mg/kg every 8 hours
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Quinine sulfate tablets: 300 mg or 600 mg
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Quinine dihydrochloride injection: 100 mg/mL
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Oral: Take with food to minimize GI upset
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IV: Administer diluted and slowly under medical supervision to avoid hypotension and arrhythmias
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Ensure ECG and glucose monitoring during IV administration
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Quinine is a cinchona alkaloid that interferes with heme detoxification in the malaria parasite’s food vacuole, leading to parasite death
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Rapidly absorbed, hepatic metabolism (CYP3A4), renal excretion
- Half-life: ~11 hours (longer in malaria patients)
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Cinchonism: tinnitus, headache, nausea, dizziness, visual disturbances
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GI upset, hypoglycemia
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Hypersensitivity to quinine or other cinchona alkaloids
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History of blackwater fever or quinine-induced thrombocytopenia
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Optic neuritis, myasthenia gravis
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Increased QT risk with: macrolides, fluoroquinolones, antipsychotics
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Inhibits CYP2D6: May affect metabolism of other drugs (e.g., codeine, metoprolol)
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Potentiates warfarin, enhanced hypoglycemia with insulin/sulfonylureas
Drug Status
Availability | |
Pregnancy | |
Breastfeeding | |
Schedule |
BRAND NAME | STRENGTH | FORMULATION | PACK SIZE | MANUFACTURER | DISTRIBUTOR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Curaquin | 50mg/5mL | Suspension | 60mL | Regal Pharma | Regal Pharma |
Mosqin | 80mg/2mL | Injection | 1’s | Indus Pharma | Globe Pharmacy |
Quimed | 600mg/2mL | Injection | 1’s | Medisel Kenya | Medisel Kenya |
Quinal | 50mg/5mL | Suspension | 60mL | Biopharma Ltd | Biopharma Ltd |
Quinidil | 300mg | Tablet | 100’s, 1000’s | Biodeal Labs | Biodeal Labs |
Quinine | 300mg | Tablet | 1000’s | Lincoln Pharma C/O Medox Pharma | Medox Pharma |
Quinine | 600mg/2mL | Injection | 1’s | Lincoln Pharma C/O Medox Pharma | Medox Pharma |
Quinine | 300mg/mL | Injection | 10’s | Laborate India | Harley’s Ltd |
Quinine | 600mg/2mL | Injection | 10’s | Crown Healthcare | Crown Healthcare |
Quinine | 300mg | Tablet | 100’s | Universal Corporation | Universal Corporation |
Quinine Mixture | 50mg/5mL | Suspension | 60mL, 100mL | Laboratory & Allied | Laboratory & Allied |
Quinine | 300mg/mL | Injection | 2mL | Galaxy Pharma | Galaxy Pharma |
S-quin | 300mg/mL | Injection | 6’s | Synermed Pharma | Synermed Pharma |
Topquine Mixture | 50mg/5mL | Suspension | 60mL | Dawa Ltd | Dawa Ltd |
Topquine Paediatric Drops | 200mg/mL | Oral Drops | 15mL | Dawa Ltd | Dawa Ltd |