Is tonic water harmful ie quinine?

Answer 1

Quinine when used in the treatment for malaria has many side effects, the adult dose for this is 1800mg daily,( 600mg every 8 hours). The dosage in carbonated drinks in normal retail sale are regulated by the FDA to 84mg/litre but is usually less schweppes in the UK use 0.4mg/litre but check the labels.Quinine is a poison so should be taken with care and under medical supervision. That said there are no restrictions to the amount of tonic water you can buy in the supermarket or how much of the stuff you can drink, so being aware of possible side effects is important, as we are all not the same care is always paramount It is usual for quinine in therapeutic doses to cause cinchonism; in rare cases, it may even cause death (usually by pulmonary edema). The development of mild cinchonism is not a reason for stopping or interrupting quinine therapy and the patient should be reassured. Blood glucose levels and electrolyte concentrations must be monitored when quinine is given by injection. The patient should ideally be in cardiac monitoring when the first quinine injection is given (these precautions are often unavailable in developing countries where malaria is endemic). Cinchonism is much less common when quinine is given by mouth, but oral quinine is not well tolerated (quinine is exceedingly bitter and many patients will vomit after ingesting quinine tablets): Other drugs such as Fansidar (sulfadoxine (sulfonamide antibiotic) with pyrimethamine) or Malarone (proguanil with atovaquone) are often used when oral therapy is required. Blood glucose, electrolyte and cardiac monitoring are not necessary when quinine is given by mouth. Quinine can cause paralysis if accidentally injected into a nerve. It is extremely toxic in overdose, and the advice of a poisons specialist should be sought immediately. Quinine in some cases can lead to constipation, erectile dysfunction, and a loose stool or in rare cases many loose stools. The New York Times Magazine described a case, presenting with fever, hypotension, and blood abnormalities mimicking septic shock. Despite popular belief, quinine is an ineffective abortifacient (in the US, quinine is listed as Pregnancy category C . Pregnant women who take toxic doses of quinine will suffer from renal failure before experiencing any kind of quinine-induced abortion.[11] Quinine can cause hemolysis in G6PD deficiency, but again this risk is small and the physician should not hesitate to use quinine in patients with G6PD deficiency when there is no alternative. Quinine can also cause drug-induced immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Quinine can cause abnormal heart rhythms and should be avoided if possible in patients with atrial fibrillation, conduction defects or heart block. Quinine can worsen hemoglobinuria, myasthenia gravis and optic neuritis. Some studies have related the use of quinine and hearing impairment, in particular high-frequency loss, but it has not been conclusively established whether such impairment is temporary or permanent.

Answer 2

Tonic water is a carbonated beverage that derives its somewhat bitter taste from the addition of guinine. It is usually flavored with lemon or lime, lots of sugar, and often contains caffeine. Tonic is a frequent mixer in cocktails, most famous for its use in gin and tonic, though vodka with tonic water is also popular. This beverage may additionally be used with sweet alcohols, like vermouth, to produce a balanced taste.