antibioticsbooks

Quinolines
41
Agents: chloroquine, mefloquine, quinidine,
quinine, primaquine, amodiaquine,
hydroxychloroquine
The quinoline agents are among the oldest antiinfective
agents used by humans, with recorded
use of the bark of the Cinchona tree (imported from
Peru) to treat fever in malarious areas of Europe
dating back to the seventeenth century. The primary
component of this remedy was quinine, the
first antimalarial agent to be widely used. Although
malaria is no longer endemic to most industrialized
countries, it is considered to be the most important
cause of fever in returning travelers, especially
those not native to endemic areas, because of the
potential for severe illness. There are important
differences between the quinolines in activity
based on both the species of Plasmodium and the
geographic area; readers are advised to consult
their updated national guidelines when managing
suspected malaria cases.
Mechanism of Action
The mechanisms of action of quinolines on parasites
are incompletely understood. Chloroquine,
quinine, and quinidine appear to interfere with the