Guide Note: The first effective treatment for malaria was Quinine. While it persisted as the primary malaria treatment until the 1940s, new drugs began to phase out its prevalence. However, quinine continues to be prescribed for critical cases of malaria.

Although quinine is no longer the primary treatment for malaria, its use has been effective for other ailments. In the United States, quinine is prescribed for nighttime leg cramps and arthritis. However, due the hazards of the drug, the Food and Drug Administration banned over-the-counter quinine in 1994. While quinine is still available with a prescription in the United States, the FDA does not fully support it as an option for leg cramp relief. In regards the malaria, the FDA feels quinine use is valid, since it is a life-threatening illness. Fast Facts:

1. Brand: Legatrin
2. Manufacturer: Pfizer
3. Available with prescription in United States
4. Extracted from cinchona trees
5. 1st isolated: 1817
6. Isolated/named by: Pierre Joseph Pelletier and Joseph Bienaimé Caventou

Properties:

1. Natural crystalline alkaloid
2. Antipyretic
3. Anti-smallpox
4. Analgesic
5. Anti-inflammatory
6. Color: White
7. Bitter taste
8. Molecular mass: 324.417 g/mol
9. Melting point: 177 °C
10. Metabolism: Hepatic
11. Routes: Oral, intravenous

Uses:

1. Malaria
2. Nocturnal leg cramps
3. Arthritis

Side Effects:

1. Cardiac arrhythmias
2. Thrombocytopenia
3. Severe hypersensitivity reactions
4. Dizziness
5. Headache

Disclaimer: The content on this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact your doctor for information on Quinine.

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