Key takeaways
Primaquine and quinine (Qualaquin) are both antimalarial medications used to treat malaria, but they have some important differences. Primaquine is specifically FDA-approved to treat malaria caused by the Plasmodium vivax parasite and is also used off-label for malaria prevention. It is taken as a tablet once daily for 14 days. Quinine, on the other hand, is FDA-approved to treat uncomplicated malaria caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite in people aged 16 and older, but it is not used for prevention. Quinine is taken as a capsule every 8 hours for 7 days. Primaquine only comes as a branded medication, while quinine is available as both a brand and a lower-cost generic. Common side effects of Primaquine include nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain, whereas quinine can cause headache, sweating, and dizziness. Both medications can cause serious side effects like heart rhythm problems and low red blood cell counts and is not recommended for people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.
