Quinine (By mouth)
KWYE-nine
Treats malaria.
Drug classes
Antimalarial, Musculoskeletal Agent (About this – PubMed Health)
Uses
Uses of This Medicine
Quinine is used to treat malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Plasmodium falciparum is a parasite that gets into the red blood cells in the body and causes malaria. Quinine works by killing the parasite or preventing it from growing. This medicine may be used alone or given together with one or more medicines for malaria.
Quinine should not be used to treat or prevent night time leg cramps. This medicine may cause very serious unwanted effects and should only be used for patients with malaria.
This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.
Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although these uses are not included in product labeling, quinine is used in certain patients with the following medical conditions:
Babesiosis (a parasite infection).
Other uses (PubMed Health)
How To Use
Capsule, Tablet, Long Acting Tablet
Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to use. Do not use more than directed.
Quinine may be taken with food or milk if it upsets your stomach.
Take all of the medicine in your prescription to clear up your infection, even if you feel better after the first few doses.
This medicine should come with a Medication Guide. Ask your pharmacist for a copy if you do not have one.
If a dose is missed:
Take a dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then and take a regular dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose. If it has been more than 4 hours since you missed a dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time.
How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine:
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.
Drugs and Foods to Avoid
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
Do not use this medicine with rifampin (Rifadin®, Rimactane®).
Make sure your doctor knows if you are taking acetazolamide (Diamox®), aminophylline (Norphyl®), debrisoquine (Declinax®), desipramine (Norpramin®), dextromethorphan (Benylin®), digoxin (Digitek®, Lanoxin®), ketoconazole (Nizoral®), metoprolol (Lopressor®), paroxetine (Paxil®), ritonavir (Norvir®), sodium bicarbonate, tetracycline (Sumycin®), theophylline (Theo-Dur®), or troleandomycin (Tao®). Tell your doctor if you are also using medicines that may change the heart rhythm such as astemizole (Hismanal®), cisapride (Propulsid®), erythromycin (Ery-Tab®), halofantrine (Halfan®), mefloquine (Lariam®), pimozide (Orap®), or terfenadine (Seldane®).
Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using medicine for heart rhythm problems (such as amiodarone, disopyramide, dofetilide, flecainide, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol, verapamil, Betapace®, Cordarone®, Norpace®, Quinaglute®, Tambocor®,Tikosyn®), medicines to lower cholesterol (such as atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin, Lipitor®, Mevacor®, Zocor®), a blood thinner (such as heparin, warfarin, Coumadin®, Jantoven®), medicine for seizures (such as carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, Dilantin®, Tegretol®), stomach medicines (such as cimetidine, ranitidine, Tagamet®, Zantac®), or an antacid that contains aluminum or magnesium (such as Gaviscon®, Maalox®, Milk of Magnesia, Mylanta®, Pepcid® Complete, Rolaids®).
When Not To Use
Do not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to quinine, mefloquine (Lariam®), or a heart medicine called quinidine (Quinaglute®, Quinidex®). Do not use this medicine if you have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, a prolonged QT interval (a heart rhythm problem), myasthenia gravis (severe muscle weakness), or optic neuritis (nerve swelling in the eye). Do not use this medicine if you had kidney, blood, or blood clotting disorders caused by quinine.
Warnings
Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, heart rhythm problems, or a history of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or low potassium in the blood.
Tell your doctor right away if you have any changes to your heart rhythm. You might feel faint, dizzy, or lightheaded, or you might have a fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat. Make sure your doctor knows if you or anyone in your family has ever had a heart rhythm problem (such as QT prolongation, a slow heartbeat, or atrial fibrillation).
Do not use this medicine to treat or prevent leg cramps.
This medicine lowers the number of blood cells (platelets) in your body. Stop taking this medicine and tell your doctor right away if you have unusual bleeding or bruising. These may be signs of a serious blood problem.
Quinine may cause severe low blood sugar. Tell your doctor right away if you faint, or have shaking, trembling, sweating, a fast or pounding heartbeat, lightheadedness, hunger, or confusion.
Tell any doctor or dentist who treats you that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect certain medical test results.
Your doctor will do lab tests at regular visits to check on the effects of this medicine. Keep all appointments.
Possible side effects
Summary More details
Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:
Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
Blistering, peeling, or red skin rash
Blurred vision, loss of vision, changes in how you see color
Chest pain, trouble breathing, increased sweating
Dark urine, decrease in how much or how often you urinate
Fainting, dizziness, lightheadedness
Fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat
Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, body aches
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe itching, or bleeding from your gums or nose
Pinpoint red or purple spots under your skin
Severe stomach cramps
Unusual bleeding, bruising, or weakness
Warmth or redness in your face, neck, arms, or upper chest
If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:
Ringing in your ears, hearing loss
Upset stomach
If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
More side effects of this drug
Brand names include
Qualaquin, Quinamm, Quiphile
There may be other brand names for this medicine.
