Treatment of malaria with quinine marks the first known use of a chemical compound to treat an infectious disease. Uses
Medical
As of 2006, quinine is no longer recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a first-line treatment for malaria, because there are other substances that are equally effective with fewer side effects. They recommend that it be used only when artemisinins are not available. Quinine is also used to treat lupus and arthritis. Quinine was frequently prescribed as an off-label treatment for leg cramps at night, but this has become less common due to a warning from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that such practice is associated with life-threatening side effects. Quinine can also act as a competitive inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO), an enzyme that removes neurotransmitters from the brain. As an MAO inhibitor, it has potential to serve as a treatment for individuals with psychological disorders similar to antidepressants that inhibit MAO. Available forms
Quinine is a basic amine and is usually provided as a salt. Various existing preparations include the hydrochloride, dihydrochloride, sulfate, bisulfate and gluconate. In the United States, quinine sulfate is commercially available in 324-mg tablets under the brand name Qualaquin. All quinine salts may be given orally or intravenously (IV); quinine gluconate may also be given intramuscularly (IM) or rectally (PR). The main problem with the rectal route is that the dose can be expelled before it is completely absorbed; in practice, this is corrected by giving a further half dose.
Discrete papular lichen myxedematosus is a skin condition caused by fibroblasts producing abnormally large amounts of mucopolysaccharides characterized by the occurrence of waxy, flesh-colored papules. : 185

See also
Papular mucinosis
List of cutaneous conditions

References


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