Skip to main content

Table 1 Summary of studies of quinine for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria

From: Quinine, an old anti-malarial drug in a modern world: role in the treatment of malaria

Study site

Year

Sample size and study population

Drug Regimens

Duration of follow-up

Treatment outcome

Comment

Reference

Thailand, region with multidrug resistant malaria

1984-1985

66 children

2-12 years

Quinine Quinidine

28 days

DOT

Cure rates:

Quinine - 85%

Quinidine - 88%

Treatment failures only RI responses

[29]

Cambodia, region with multidrug resistant malaria

1983

119 adults,

>15 years

Mefloquine +SP (MSP)

3 days quinine+tetracycline (Q3T7)

7 days of quinine+ tetracycline (Q7T7)

28 days

DOT

Cure rates:

MSP: 98%

Q3T7: 76%

Q7T7: 92%

Q7T7 still gives good cure rate

[30]

Brazil, setting with quinine resistance

1985

100 patients

18-55 years

Mefloquine 1000 mg single dose (MQ)

3 days quinine+SP (Q3+SP)

42 days

DOT

Cure rates:

MQ:

96%

Q3 + SP: 98%

Four RI responses in Q3 + SP group

[31]

Thailand, region with multidrug resistant malaria

1994

102 patients

16-60 years

Mefloquine+tetracycline (MQT)

7 days of Quinine+ tetracycline (Q7T7)

28 days

DOT

Cure rates:

MQT: 94%

Q7T7: 98%

MQ + Tetra as effective as Q7T7

[34]

Thailand, region with multidrug resistant malaria

1995-1997

204 male patients

15-64 years

7 days quinine (Q7)

Quinine + tetracycline (Q7T7)

Quinine + clindamycin (Q7C7)

28 days

Directly observed therapy

Cure rates:

Q7: 87%

Q7T7: 98%

Q7C7: 100%

Tetracycline or clindamycin improves quinine cure rates

[33]

Equatorial Guinea, setting with no quinine resistance

1999

114 children

6-59 months

7days quinine (Q7)

Chloroquine (CQ)

Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP)

114 day follow-up

Cure rates:

Q7: 94.5%

CQ: 60%

SP: 90%

Quinine is effective against P.falciparum malaria

[43]

Cameroon, High transmission setting

2005

30 children

0.5-6 years

5 days quinine (Q5)

14 day follow-up

Cure rates: 100%

 

[41]

Burundi Perennial transmission setting

1992-1995

472 children

0-14 years

Chloroquine (CQ)

5 days quinine (Q5)

7 day follow-up

Failure rates Q5:

1992-1993: 4.2%

1994-1995: 7.1%

 

[40]

Guinea-Bissau Perennial transmission setting

1994-1995

203 children

0.7-13 years

3 days quinine (Q3)

5 days quinine (Q5)

7 days quinine (Q7)

28-35 day follow-up

Day 28 recurrent parasitemia:

Q3: 79%

Q5: 90%

Q7: 11%

3 day quinine regimens should not be used.

[37]

Gabon High transmission setting

1993-1994

120 adults = 15years

3 days quinine (Q3)

3 days quinine+clindamycin (Q3C3)

3 days quinine+doxycycline (Q3D3)

28 day follow-up

Day 28 cure rates:

Q3: 38%

Q3C3: 92%

Q3D3: 91%

The two short course combinations of quinine had excellent cure rates

[109]

Uganda Meso-endemic transmission setting

2007-2008

175 children

6months - 5 years

7 days quinine (Q7)

3 days artemether-lumefantrine (AL)

28 day follow-up

Cure rates:

Q7: 64%

AL: 97%

Results question the advisability of quinine use for uncomplicated malaria

[45]