3 ms·

Quinine is one of the most bitter substances in the world. In capsule form it's not used much any more for malaria because the taste of the dust on the outside

Quinine is one of the most bitter substances in the world. In capsule form it's not used much any more for malaria because the taste of the dust on the outside of the capsule made people throw up. The amount in tonic water is tiny compared to what you need if you have malaria.

_n_b_ 7y ago
> Quinine is one of the most bitter substances in the world. It is even used as the normalizing reference index for a common bitterness index, at least according to Wikipedia.[1] > In capsule form it's not used much any more for malaria because the taste of the dust on the outside of the capsule made people throw up. I would suspect that it is not used widely anymore for prophylaxis because there is chloroquine-resistant malaria parasites all over the (malarial) world.[2] The sell coated capsules, which are't bitter; these have been around for a while [3] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitterant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitterant [2] https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/malaria_worldwide/reduction/drug_resistance.html https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/malaria_worldwide/reduction/drug... [3] https://books.google.com/books?id=AjxrAAAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=chloroquine%20tablet%20coated&pg=PA1077#v=onepage https://books.google.com/books?id=AjxrAAAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newb...
- dreamcompiler 7y ago
  > chloroquine-resistant malaria parasites Yes, that and other reasons. Quinine used to be over-the-counter in the US; people took it for leg cramps. But they made it Rx-only in the 80s (or 90s; not certain) because it can have dangerous side-effects (including cardiac issues) in some people. It's kind of a nasty drug, but it's better than malaria. There are now better drugs for the conditions Quinine was used for.
matwood 7y ago
I didn't vomit, but easily one of the worst pills I've ever taken - and I like bitter.

_n_b_ 7y ago

> Quinine is one of the most bitter substances in the world. It is even used as the normalizing reference index for a common bitterness index, at least according to Wikipedia.[1] > In capsule form it's not used much any more for malaria because the taste of the dust on the outside of the capsule made people throw up. I would suspect that it is not used widely anymore for prophylaxis because there is chloroquine-resistant malaria parasites all over the (malarial) world.[2] The sell coated capsules, which are't bitter; these have been around for a while [3] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitterant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitterant [2] https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/malaria_worldwide/reduction/drug_resistance.html https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/malaria_worldwide/reduction/drug... [3] https://books.google.com/books?id=AjxrAAAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=chloroquine%20tablet%20coated&pg=PA1077#v=onepage https://books.google.com/books?id=AjxrAAAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newb...

dreamcompiler 7y ago
> chloroquine-resistant malaria parasites Yes, that and other reasons. Quinine used to be over-the-counter in the US; people took it for leg cramps. But they made it Rx-only in the 80s (or 90s; not certain) because it can have dangerous side-effects (including cardiac issues) in some people. It's kind of a nasty drug, but it's better than malaria. There are now better drugs for the conditions Quinine was used for.

matwood 7y ago

I didn't vomit, but easily one of the worst pills I've ever taken - and I like bitter.