Patient leaflet - Quinine Bisulfate tablets BP 300 mg
1. What Quinine Bisulfate Tablets are and what they are used for
Quinine Bisulfate is one of a group of medicines called anti-malarial agents.
Quinine Bisulfate Tablets are used to:
- Treat malaria.
- Treat and prevent nocturnal (night-time) leg cramps in adults and the elderly.
2. What you need to know before you take Quinine Bisulfate Tablets
Do not take Quinine Bisulfate and tell your doctor if you:
- Are allergic to quinine or any other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
- Have problems with your eyes or difficulty seeing.
- Suffer from tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears).
- Have blood in the urine (haemoglobinuria).
- Suffer from myasthenia gravis, a condition characterised by muscle weakness, difficulty chewing or swallowing and slurred speech.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking Quinine Bisulfate Tablets if you:
- Are sensitive to Quinine. See section 4 for possible symptoms.
- Have had malaria before.
- Have irregular heartbeats or other heart disease.
- Have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD).This is a genetic disorder where the red blood cells are broken down under stressful conditions or due to taking medicines.
- Intend on using the medicine for nocturnal leg cramps.
- Have previously experienced any adverse reaction to quinine, including that in tonic water or other beverages. Quinine may cause thrombocytopenia (reduction in blood platelet counts).
- Suffer from kidney or liver problems.
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine. Do not take more than the prescribed dose as a condition called ‘cinchonism’ may occur even with a normal dose. Please see section 4 ‘Possible side effects’ for symptoms of cinchonism and tell your doctor if you experience any of them. Other medicines and Quinine Bisulfate Tablets:
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines including any
medicines obtained without a prescription, especially:
- Anticoagulants (to stop your blood clotting).
- Cardiac glycosides (used to treat heart conditions, such as digoxin).
- Chloroquine, artemether with lumefantrine or mefloquine, halofantrine or primaquine (also to treat malaria).
- Cimetidine (to treat stomach ulcers or acid reflux and indigestion).
- Flecainide, quinidine or amiodarone (to treat irregular heart rhythms).
- Pimozide or thioridazine (to treat some mental health disorders).
- Rifampicin or moxifloxacin(antibiotics) or antifungals such as ketoconazole (used to treat bacterial and fungal infections).
- Barbiturates, carbamazepine or phenytoin (medicines to treat epilepsy).
- Oral hypoglycaemics (to treat diabetes).
- HIV protease inhibitors (drugs to treat HIV infections such as ritonavir).
- Ciclosporin (to prevent transplant rejection).
- Amantadine (an antiviral to treat influenza and Parkinson’s disease).
- Suxamethonium (a muscle relaxant used in surgery, tell the anaesthetist you are taking Quinine Bisulfate Tablets).
- Terfenadine (used in the treatment of allergies).
- Medicines which are known to cause disturbances in heart rhythm.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding:
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. Quinine Bisulfate Tablets should not be used for night cramps during pregnancy.
Driving and using machines:
Quinine may affect your vision or cause vertigo (a feeling of dizziness or ‘spinning’). If you are affected, DO NOT drive or operate machinery.
Quinine Bisulfate Tablets contain lactose:
If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
Information on sodium content
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, i.e. is essentially ‘sodium-free’.
3. How to take Quinine Bisulfate Tablets
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
These tablets should be swallowed with some water. Dosage
Your doctor will decide your dose and length of treatment, as it depends on your condition.
For the treatment of malaria:
Adults (including elderly):
The usual dose is 600mg (2 × 300 mg tablets) every 8 hours for 7 days
Children under 12 years:
Your doctor will work out the exact dose for your child based on your child’s body weight. The usual dose is 10mg of quinine bisulfate per kg of body weight, given every 8 hours for 7 days. If you have kidney or liver disease you may be given a different dose.
For the treatment of night time leg cramps:
Adults (including elderly people):
The recommended dose is 300mg (1 tablet) at bedtime. 11795
180 x 250 mm Front Page
Front & Back Printing. To be supplied unfold. PC-ODF/2025/642 - Record Number: 469396
1052669 1050408
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14.0 Pack Insert
180 x 250 mm
Strides Pharma UK Ltd.
QUININE BISULFATE TABLETS 300 mg
60 GSM Paper.
PRINTING CLARITY TO BE CLEAR AND SHARP.
Children:
This medicine should not be used for the relief of night time leg cramps in children.
If you take more Quinine Bisulfate Tablets than you should:
If you or your child accidentally take more than your prescribed dose, contact your nearest hospital casualty department, or tell your doctor immediately. Take this leaflet or the medicine container with you. This is so the doctor knows what you or your child has taken.
This situation can lead to permanent loss of vision and can lead to death.
Symptoms include headache, dizziness, vomiting, low blood pressure, difficulty in breathing, ringing in the ears, loss of hearing (reversible) or temporary deafness, flushing, blurred vision, feeling or being sick, palpitations, changes in heart rhythm, kidney failure, fits, loss of consciousness and coma. Doses of 2-8 gram have resulted in death in some adult patients. High doses of quinine can also adversely affect the foetus and may cause miscarriage in pregnant women. Large doses can also induce abortion.
If you suspect you have been given too much, you should tell your doctor immediately.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose. If you forget to take Quinine Bisulfate Tablets:
If you forget to take a dose, take another as soon as you remember and then your next dose at the usual time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose. If you are elderly, it is particularly important to take this medicine exactly as directed by the doctor.
If you stop taking Quinine Bisulfate Tablets:
Keep taking this medicine until your doctor tells you to stop. Do not stop taking it just because you feel better. If you stop taking the medicine, your condition may re-occur or get worse. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
4. Possible Side Effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
If any of the following happen, stop taking the tablets and tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital
- Allergic reaction - itchy skin rash, swelling of the lips, face, throat or tongue, wheezing or tightness in the chest (asthma).
- A condition called cinchonism which may cause a ringing in the ears, loss of hearing, rashes, headache, nausea, problems with your vision (blurred vision, changes in colour perception or field of vision)
- If these occur while taking Quinine bisulfate for leg cramps, stop taking this medicine and tell your doctor immediately.
- Increased or unexplained bruising or bleeding more easily, frequent nose bleeds, signs of frequent infections such as fever, chills or sore throat, excessive tiredness, breathlessness or abnormal paleness of the skin. These may be a sign that you have a blood disorder. Your doctor may wish to test your blood.
- A serious illness with blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals (Stevens-Johnson Syndrome).
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following side effects:
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from available data)
Diarrhoea, feeling or being sick, abdominal pain, stomach ache
- low blood sugar.
- Muscle weakness, excitement, feeling of spinning (vertigo)
- Headache, changes in vision, ‘ringing’ in the ears, loss of hearing.
- Agitation, confusion
- Flushing, rash, swollen, itchy, flaky, red or raised patches of skin, sensitivity to sunlight.
- Kidney damage, water retention, slowed heart rate, changes in heart rhythm and the way the heart beats, eczema, difficulty breathing.
- Aggravation of myasthenia gravis.
- Blood in urine
If any of the side effects become serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Quinine Bisulfate Tablets
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Store below 25°C in a dry place and in the original packaging. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. Remember, this medicine is for you only. Never give it to anyone else. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
Do not use this medicine if you notice visible signs of deterioration.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Quinine Bisulfate Tablet contains:
The active substance is Quinine Bisulfate BP/Ph.Eur. The other ingredients are: Lactose
Microcrystalline cellulose Povidone K30
Sodium starch glycollate Colloidal anhydrous silica Purified talc
Magnesium stearate Pregelatinised maize starch Ingredients for Coating: Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose
Diethyl phthalate
Opadry white
Carnauba wax
What Quinine Bisulfate Tablet looks like and contents of the pack:
Quinine Bisulfate Tablets are white, biconvex film-coated tablets. The tablets are supplied in PVC/aluminium foil blister packs containing 5, 7, 10, 14, 15, 20, 21, 25, 28, 30, 56, 60, 84, 90, 100, 112, 120, 168, 180, 250 and 500 tablets.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer:
Strides Pharma UK Ltd.
Unit 4, The Metro Centre,
Dwight Road, Watford,
WD18 9SS,
United Kingdom
This leaflet was last revised in 01/2026.
11796
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