What is the Difference Between Chloroquine and Quinine

The key difference between chloroquine and quinine is that chloroquine is cheaper and comparatively easier to administer, whereas quinine is comparatively expensive and difficult to administer.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Chloroquine
3. What is Quinine
4. Chloroquine vs Quinine in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Chloroquine vs Quinine

What is Chloroquine?

Chloroquine is a medicine that is useful in preventing and treating malaria. It comes in various formulations, including chloroquine phosphate, chloroquine sulfate, and hydrochloride salts. They come in tablet form. The most common forms are chloroquine phosphate and chloroquine sulphate. But the other forms of tablets are less common on a commercial scale.

However, certain types of malaria, such as resistant strains, require additional treatments. Occasionally, this drug is also used for amebiasis that occurs outside the intestines, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus erythematosus. The trade name of this drug is Aralen. The metabolism of chloroquine occurs in the liver, and its elimination half-life is about 1-2 months. The route of administration for this drug is oral administration.

There can be mild side effects of chloroquine, such as muscle problems, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and skin rash. However, there can be some serious side effects as well, such as problems with vision, muscle damage, seizures, and low blood cell levels.

What is Quinine?

Quinine is a medication that is useful in treating malaria and babesiosis. It is useful in treating malaria that comes from Plasmodium falciparum, which is resistant to chloroquine. Sometimes, it is important for nocturnal leg cramps, but it is rarely recommended due to the side effects it can cause. We can take this medication orally or as an intravenous injection. However, in certain areas of the world, there are some malaria species that are resistant to quinine. Moreover, quinine can be found as an ingredient in tonic water, which gives this water a bitter taste.

The most common side effects of quinine include headache, ringing in the ears, trouble seeing, and sweating. However, there can be some serious side effects as well, which include deafness, low blood platelets, and irregular heartbeat.

The trade names for quinine include Qualaquin, Quinbisul, etc. The routes of administration can include oral administration, intramuscular injection, intravenous injection, and rectal administration. Its protein binding ability is about 70-95%, and its metabolism occurs in the liver. The elimination half-life can range from 8 hours to 14 hours. Its excretion occurs in the kidney.

What is the Difference Between Chloroquine and Quinine?

Both chloroquine and quinine are important medications for malaria. The key difference between chloroquine and quinine is that chloroquine is cheaper and comparatively easier to administer, whereas quinine is comparatively expensive and difficult to administer. Quinine is useful in treating malaria that comes from Plasmodium falciparum, which is resistant to chloroquine.

The below infographic presents the differences between chloroquine and quinine in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Chloroquine vs Quinine

Chloroquine is a medicine that is useful in preventing and treating malaria. Quinine is a medication that is useful in treating malaria and babesiosis. In other words, both chloroquine and quinine are important medications for malaria. The key difference between chloroquine and quinine is that chloroquine is cheaper and comparatively easier to administer, whereas quinine is comparatively expensive and difficult to administer.