The pace at which research on quinine is progressing would certainly lead us to a benefiting drug regime for the treatment of malaria. Even though the use of quinine and its salts are not yet prevalent in India, active research on tissue culture, activity and formulation of potent derivatives like quinine sulfate are being carried out. The introduction of comparatively more potent artemisinin and its derivatives, than chloroquine, mefloquine, quinine etc. is an encouraging aspect in this area of increased drug-resistant in Plasmodium vivax and studies as such would necessitate the use of these drugs. A thorough study on multidrug therapy with quinine and artemisinin oil and other drugs may decrease the incidence of development of quinine resistant strain. Clinical studies on the more potent artemisinin derivatives with low recrudescence rates toxic effects and their formulation would lead to a better therapeutic use of these compounds.

Rakesh Kumar Sharma, MCA, Research scholar, Kumaun University Nainital, India.