Quinine Hcl

1Use

Quinine has been used for the treatment of malaria and associated febrile states, leg cramps caused by vascular spasm, internal hemorrhoids, varicose veins, and pleural cavities after thoracoplasty.

2Contraindications

Contraindications have not yet been identified.

3Pregnancy/Lactation

Quinine has been previously listed as being contraindicated during pregnancy because of fetal and abortifacient effects.1 A review of the safety of antimalarial drugs in pregnancy state that standard (antimalarial) doses of quinine showed no evidence of increased risk of abortion or preterm delivery. Quinine has been shown to be secreted into breast milk, but insignificant amounts are ingested by the infant. However, high doses of quinine can cause uterine stimulation in pregnant women and deafness and optic nerve hypoplasia in children.2