Quinine is an alkaloid taken from chinchona bark. Cinchona bark comes from a tree native to South America. Quinine is used as a medicinal treatment most especially for malaria. It is also been used for other purposes. Use only under a doctor's care.
History
Quinine was first used in 1633 by an Augustinian monk in Lima, Peru. It was believed that the cinchona powder, when administered as a beverage, could cure fevers. Legend has it that the Jesuits used the quina bark to cure the Countess of Cingon, wife of the Viceroy of Peru, of her fevers.
Significance
In the mid 1600s, an Englishman named Robert Talbor discovered that those who responded to cinchona bark were those specifically afflicted with malaria. With much success, he treated and cured many patients in England including King Charles II in 1679, who later knighted Talbor.
Malaria
Quinine has been used for hundreds of years, with success, to treat malaria. The FDA approved quinine sulfate for the treatment of malaria in the United States on December 10, 2006. The trade name is Qualaquin.
Anti-Bacterial
Quinine is also used as an analgesic, an anaesthetic, an antibacterial agent, an antiseptic, an astringent and as a muscle relaxant. Other uses include contraceptive, insecticide, insect-repellent and general tonic.
Leg Cramps
The FDA banned the use of over-the-counter quinine treatments in 2006 due to concerns of irregular heart beats. Doctors can still prescribe quinine pills for the treatment of leg cramps or as deemed appropriate.
Side Effects
Quinine should never be used by pregnant women as birth defect and miscarriages may occur. Side effects can include ringing in the ears, nausea, blurred vision, chest pain, upset stomachs and breathing problems.
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