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Cutaneous hyperpigmentation due to chronic quinine ingestion
1Department of Dermatology, Baylor College of Medicine and Veterans Administration Medical Center, Houston, Texas, USA. tedrosenmd@aol.com
Cutis
|March 19, 2005
Summary
Protracted oral quinine intake can cause striking hyperpigmentation on the arms. This cosmetic adverse event, though documented with similar drugs, is rarely reported with quinine.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Dermatology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Quinine and quinidine are medications with known associations to adverse dermatological effects.
- Drug-induced hyperpigmentation is a recognized but infrequently documented phenomenon.
Observation:
- A 66-year-old male patient developed significant hyperpigmentation on his arms.
- The hyperpigmentation occurred after prolonged oral administration of quinine.
Findings:
- This case highlights a rare adverse drug reaction to quinine, specifically cutaneous hyperpigmentation.
- The observed hyperpigmentation is purely cosmetic and does not impair arm function.
Implications:
- Clinicians should be aware of the potential for quinine-induced hyperpigmentation.
- This finding expands the known spectrum of quinine's dermatological side effects.