Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: QUALAQUIN versus QUINATIME.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: QUALAQUIN versus QUINATIME.
QUALAQUIN vs QUINATIME
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.
Quinine acts by interfering with the parasite's ability to break down hemoglobin, leading to accumulation of toxic heme and parasite death. It also inhibits nucleic acid and protein synthesis in the parasite.
325-650 mg orally every 6 hours as needed for pain; maximum 2.6 g/day.
600 mg (base) orally every 8 hours for 7 days; or 10 mg/kg (base) intravenously loading dose over 1 hour, then 0.02 mg/kg/min continuous infusion for 3 days, then switch to oral.
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 10-12 hours in healthy adults; prolonged in hepatic impairment.
Renal (approximately 20% unchanged; remainder as metabolites); biliary/fecal (minor).
Renal: ~20% unchanged; hepatic metabolism (CYP3A4) major route; biliary/fecal: ~80% as metabolites.
Category C
Category C
Antiarrhythmic (Class Ia)
Antiarrhythmic (Class Ia)