Examples
| Brand Name | Chemical Name |
| quinine sulfate plus an antibiotic such as doxycycline or tetracycline | |
| quinine sulfate plus clindamycin | |
| quinine sulfate plus pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine | |
| quinine sulfate (rarely used alone) |
How It Works
Quinine sulfate prevents the development of malaria parasites in the blood.
To treat malaria, you can take quinine sulfate alone for 3 to 7 days, but it is more commonly used in one of three different combinations:
- Quinine sulfate plus doxycycline or tetracycline is taken for 7 days.
- Quinine sulfate plus pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine is taken as a single dose of three tablets.
- Quinine sulfate plus clindamycin is taken for 7 days.
You usually take quinine sulfate as a tablet (orally).
Why It Is Used
Quinine sulfate plus another medication is the medication of choice for chloroquine-resistant malaria (where chloroquine is no longer effective against the malaria parasite).
Side Effects
Side effects of quinine sulfate include:
- Nausea.
- Blurred vision.
- Headache.
- Ringing in the ears.
See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)
What To Think About
Quinine sulfate given through a needle directly into a vein (intravenously, or IV) is not available in the United States, but intravenous quinidine gluconate, as a substitute, works just as well.
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Credits
| Author | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Denele Ivins |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease |
| Last Updated | May 16, 2007 |
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