Quinine: The Antimalarial for Malaria Treatment
What is Quinine?
Quinine is an antimalarial for treatment of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum and other species. It has been used for centuries to treat malaria, particularly in areas where the disease is endemic.
How Quinine Works
Quinine interferes with the parasite’s ability to metabolize hemoglobin, depresses it’s oxygen uptake and carbohydrate metabolism, and intercates into its DNA, disrupting its replication and transcription, thereby killing the parasite. It also has antipyretic (fever-reducing) effects, helping control the symptoms of malaria.
When to Use Quinine
● Acute Malaria: It is most commonly used in the treatment in acute malarial fever.
● Severe Malaria: It is particularly useful for severe malaria, including cases where the patient is unable to take oral medications.
● Babesiosis: It is also used in infections caused by the parasite Babesia microti.
Dosage
● Adult Dose for Malaria: The recommended dose is 648 mg every 8 hours for 7 days, often administered intravenously in severe cases. It is used in combination with primaquine and doxycycline.
● Pediatric Dose: The dose for children is 10 mg/kg every 8 hours for 7 days. Maximum dose is 650 mg/dose. It is used in combination with primaquine and doxycycline.
Side Effects
● Common Effects: Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and sweating.
● Serious Adverse Effects: Cinchonism (tinnitus, hearing loss, visual disturbances), hypoglycemia, and cardiac arrhythmias.