Pharmacology Notes

Quinine is a rapidly acting blood schizonticide used to treat falciparum malaria.

Quinine has also been used as a muscle relaxant. However, as it has limited benefits and high risks due to hypersensitivity reactions its use for this indication is rarely justified.

Hypersensitivity reactions include angioedema, intravascular haemolysis and pancytopenia (particularly thrombocytopenia). Hypersensitivity or dose accumulation may lead to cinchonism (tinnitus, impaired hearing, headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, visual disturbances). Other adverse effects include urticaria, fever, rash, dyspnoea, and haemolytic anaemia in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.