Examples

Generic Name
quinine plus an antibiotic such as doxycycline or tetracycline
quinine plus clindamycin
quinine plus pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine
quinine (rarely used alone)

How It Works

Quinine prevents the development of malaria parasites in the blood.

To treat malaria, you can take quinine alone for 3 to 7 days, but it is more commonly used in one of three different combinations:

• Quinine plus doxycycline or tetracycline is taken for 7 days.
• Quinine plus pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine is taken as a single dose of three tablets.
• Quinine plus clindamycin is taken for 7 days.

You usually take quinine as a tablet (orally).

Why It Is Used

Quinine plus another medicine is the medication of choice for chloroquine-resistant malaria (where chloroquine is no longer effective against the malaria parasite).

How Well It Works

Quinine is effective against all species of Plasmodium.

Side Effects

Side effects of quinine 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 given through a needle directly into a vein (intravenously, or IV) is not available in the United States, but intravenous quinidine, as a substitute, works just as well.

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