Quinine

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Quinine

Quinine (/ˈkwaɪnaɪn/ KWY-nyne) is a medication used to treat malaria, a disease caused by parasites. This drug works by killing the parasites that cause the disease. Quinine is also used to treat nocturnal leg cramps and lupus, among other conditions.

Etymology

The term "quinine" comes from the Quechua (an indigenous language from the Andes) word "kina", meaning "bark" and "quina-quina", which means "bark of barks" or "holy bark". It's believed to refer to the cinchona tree, the bark of which produces quinine.

Usage

Quinine is primarily used as a treatment for malaria. It is typically administered orally, but can also be given by intravenous infusion if the patient is unable to take it by mouth. Quinine is often used in combination with other antimalarial drugs to increase its effectiveness.

Related Terms

  • Malaria: A disease caused by a plasmodium parasite, transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes.
  • Cinchona: A genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae, native to the tropical Andean forests of western South America. The bark of these trees is used to produce quinine.
  • Nocturnal leg cramps: Painful contractions, or spasms, that occur in the legs during rest, typically at night.
  • Lupus: An autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks its own tissues and organs.

Side Effects

Like all medications, quinine can cause side effects. These may include headache, dizziness, upset stomach, and blurred vision. In rare cases, it can cause serious side effects such as irregular heartbeat, severe rash, and ringing in the ears.

See Also

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski