Quinine Sulfate, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antimalarial

Generic and brand names: quinine sulfate, oral; Qualaquin

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat malaria. Do not confuse this medicine (quinine) with quinidine. Quinidine is used to treat heart conditions.

Because of the potential for severe side effects, quinine is no longer recommended to treat night-time leg cramps. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• a blood disorder
• blackwater fever
• damage to the nerves in your eyes
• G6PD deficiency
• heart disease, including irregular heartbeats
• liver or kidney disease
• myasthenia gravis
• problems with low blood sugar
• ringing in the ears.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while taking this medicine. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Do not take more or less or take it longer than prescribed. Do not stop taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval. Taking too much of this medicine may cause side effects.

Take this medicine with or after meals to lessen stomach upset, unless your healthcare provider tells you otherwise. Take the capsules whole. Do not chew, break, or crush them. If you take the medicine at bedtime, eat a snack or drink a glass of milk or juice.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. If it has been more than 4 hours since the missed dose, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine may cause dizziness, blurred vision, or other changes in your vision. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert and can see clearly.

You may need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests.

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

You may have low blood sugar while taking this medicine. Symptoms of low blood sugar include confusion, shaking, weakness, strong hunger, cold sweats, headache, nausea, vision problems, and feeling faint. You can eat honey or candy, or drink a glass of orange juice or nondiet soda to quickly raise your blood sugar level. Do not use chocolate because the fat content slows down the sugar entering the bloodstream. Talk about this with your healthcare provider.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Irregular or fast heartbeat, chest pain, blurred vision, flushing, itching, rash, trouble breathing, ringing in your ears, trouble hearing, vision changes, severe headache, severe dizziness, fever, trouble urinating, unusual bleeding or bruising.

Other: Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, confusion, sweating, loss of appetite, headache.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• acetazolamide (Diamox) and sodium bicarbonate
• antacids containing aluminum or magnesium (take them at least 2 hours apart from this medicine)
• antibiotics such as erythromycin ((Erythrocin, EES, Ery-Tab, EryPed), tetracycline, and clarithromycin (Biaxin)
• anticonvulsants such as phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Tegretol), and phenobarbital
• antidepressants such as paroxetine (Paxil), amitriptyline, nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), desipramine (Norpramin), and doxepin (Sinequan)
• antifungal medicines such as ketoconazole (Nizoral) and itraconazole (Sporanox)
• antipsychotic medicines such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), perphenazine, thioridazine, haloperidol (Haldol), pimozide (Orap), and trifluoperazine (Stelazine)
• blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin)
• bronchodilators such as aminophylline (Phyllocontin, Truphylline) and theophylline
• cimetidine (Tagamet)
• dextromethorphan (DM), an ingredient in many cough medicines
• heart medicines such as digoxin (Lanoxin), amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), procainamide (Procanbid), disopyramide (Norpace), flecainide (Tambocor), sotalol (Betapace), dofetilide (Tikosyn), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin), and quinidine
• mefloquine (Lariam)
• rifabutin (Mycobutin)
• rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
• St. John's wort.

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.