Quinine

Malaria is a terrible disease that has infected millions of people every year. The female mosquito that carries parasites is the cause of malaria. Once a person is bitten by the mosquito with the disease-carrying parasites, he could experience symptoms of fever, abnormal chill, flu-like illness and anemia. When the parasites have been transmitted into the human, they multiplied and affect the blood cells.

Malaria has become an outbreak in certain countries. It has been an outbreak during early times. When Rome was infected with an outbreak during the 17th century, it had caused lives of the popes, princes of the church and the people of Europe. The onslaught of malaria even now is still deadly. Vaccine for immunity of the disease is still under process with no clear indication of its advent.

Malaria can be treated through prevention and with the medication of drugs. Tropical areas of the globe have been known to be a haven for mosquitoes. Though not all mosquitoes have been carrying deadly parasites and diseases, it is significant to prevent from being bitten by a mosquito. It is a hard indication if a mosquito is carrying the parasite that causes malaria for it is more than one.

In medical application, malaria can be treated by consuming a drug. Drugs for treating malaria have been spreading for therapeutic use, one of these is quinine. Quinine is a natural antimalarial drug. It is also used for reducing the severity of infections and inflammations. It is also a painkiller. It is a pioneer in the treatment of malaria. Its effectiveness has been recorded since the 17th century until its unpopularity in the 1940’s. However, it is available for use in other countries but with a prescription.

Quinine is obtained naturally. Tonic water with quinine is the first treatment for malaria. Before the medical discovery of French researchers during the early 19th century, Indian Americans especially those in Peru have begun extracting a bark from a cinchona tree. The extract was exposed to the sun for extracting moisture. The dried bark was then ground into very fine powder. The powder is induced by mixing it with a liquid.

The use of quinine water has been recorded by the Europeans during the times when a plague has inflicted Europe. Its cause was malaria. At first, quinine water was not known in Europe. When a Jesuit friar named Agostino Salumbrino begun to observe the effects of quinine in treating leg cramps and chilling during cold weather, he also found out its effect in treating malaria. Indigenous people of Peru have been using the extracts of cinchona tree for treating malaria. This observation has impelled the friar to deliver a quantity of the extracts small enough for initial testing on the plague that struck Rome. It was then, that the success of the quinine extract from the cinchona bark has made it a valuable commodity in Europe.

The demand of quinine has increased during the war times bringing pressure to scientists to supply quinine. Though quinine comes from a natural source, its inconvenience for immediate use drove scientist during the World War times to experiment and synthesize quinine. Synthetic quinine was produced though its formulation could not compete with the natural source.

Today, quinine is prescribed in the form of salt. Quinine sulfate and quinine hydrochloride are its existing varieties. Bisulfate, dihydrochloride and gluconate are its other preparations. Each preparation has its own dosage.

Medical quinine can be obtained through prescription for treating malaria. Inquire a physician concerning the side effects of quinine and its reactions and contraindications.

Quinine has been included recently in the commercialization of beverages. The property of quinine is non-medical and considered as additive.