Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: QUALAQUIN versus QUINACT.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: QUALAQUIN versus QUINACT.
QUALAQUIN vs QUINACT
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Quinine is a cinchona alkaloid that acts as a blood schizonticide against Plasmodium species. It inhibits heme polymerase in the parasite, leading to accumulation of toxic heme and parasite death. It also has weak gametocytocidal activity against P. vivax and P. malariae.
Quinacrine is a 9-aminoacridine derivative that intercalates into DNA, inhibiting DNA replication and transcription, and also has antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, and antihelminthic properties. It inhibits phospholipase A2 and suppresses immune responses.
325-650 mg orally every 6 hours as needed for pain; maximum 2.6 g/day.
100 mg orally three times daily.
None Documented
None Documented
Terminal elimination half-life approximately 8 hours in healthy adults; prolonged in hepatic impairment (up to 12-18 hours) and severe malaria (up to 14-20 hours).
Terminal elimination half-life: 12-15 hours (prolonged in renal impairment; CrCl <30 mL/min: 24-40 hours)
Renal (approximately 20% unchanged; remainder as metabolites); biliary/fecal (minor).
Renal: 70% unchanged; biliary/fecal: 20% as metabolites; 10% other
Category C
Category C
Antiarrhythmic (Class Ia)
Antiarrhythmic (Class Ia)