Quinine: the rediscovered anti-malarial agent

This work summarises the clinical pharmacology of quinine, a cinchona alkaloid, whose use in chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria is of great value considering the staggering effects the infection and its morbidity have upon social and economic development of malaria endemic areas of the world. Quinine is very effective and consistent in the treatment of falciparum malaria at all grades of severity. The effectiveness of quinine in severe malaria can be maintained and the possibility of development of resistant strains to the drug reduced by combined therapy with other drugs to which the infecting strains of P. falciparum are still sensitive.