Intended for healthcare professionals

Antimalarials: A practical guide for dermatologists

Felicity Ferguson and Ian H Coulson
Quinine is an alkaloid derived from the bark of several species of the South American Cinchona tree. The bark was initially used for its antipyretic effects, but by the beginning of the 19th century, quinine was becoming popular as an antimalarial agent. Antimalarials are believed to have been first used in dermatology by Payne in 1894, when he attempted treatment of discoid lupus erythematosus with quinine. World War I prompted large scale synthesis of antimalarials, including mepacrine (1930), chloroquine (1934) and hydroxychloroquine (1946). These three drugs are the most common antimalarial agents used in current dermatology practice.
Dermatology in practice 2015; 21(3): 48–52
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