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From: werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Quinine and Mineral Water? (G&Ts and Malaria)
Message-ID: <539@aecom.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-Oct-86 19:55:05 EST
Article-I.D.: aecom.539
Posted: Tue Oct 28 19:55:05 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 29-Oct-86 22:39:03 EST
References: <4919@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Distribution: na
Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
Lines: 34

> 
> 	I have just learned, from a 1983 publication, that sufferers
> from myasthenia gravis (MG) should avoid the medical use of quinine and
> other anti-arrythmics (sp?).  The article didn't mention if the drinking
> of tonic water was also to be avoided.
> 	We spent July in Switzerland and Italy, where you buy your
> drinking water.  It is almost always a "mineral water," and the

	Tonic water has to have quinine added to it.  Quinine is derived
from the Chichona bark and does not occur naturally in mineral springs.
If it were added, it would have to be clearly marked 'Contains Quinine'
since Quinine can cause massive hemolysis (red blood cell destruction)
in people who lack an enzyme called G6PDH (Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase),
which is prevalent in Southern Europe.  It certainly wouldn't be put in the
water in Italy.

	I give research seminars on malaria, and am somewhat of an expert
on the subject.  It is THE most common debilitating disease in the world,
with 100 MILLION cases a year worldwide  (Intestinal roundworms, Ascariasis,
is more prevalent, but usually assymptomatic. In fact, almost a quarter of
the world's population has worms).  I could talk for hours
about it (and have), but will only mention the efficacy of Gin and Tonics.

	Yes, the Gin and Tonic does indeed contain enough Quinine to
inhibit the replication of the Plasmodium falciparum (malaria)
merozoite.  The parasite is also exquisitely sensitive to alcohol.
Hence, the British custom of drinking Gin and Tonics probably was a
life-saver for many a colonialist. 

-- 
			      Craig Werner (MD/PhD '91)
				!philabs!aecom!werner
              (1935-14E Eastchester Rd., Bronx NY 10461, 212-931-2517)
      "Knowing you, you're probably doing twice as much as is healthy for you."