apollo
0
Written By Santoshini Reddy G , M Pharmacy
Reviewed By Dr Aneela Siddabathuni , MPharma., PhD
Last Updated Oct 9, 2024 | 12:40 PM IST
Malaquin 250mg Tablet is used to treat malaria. It gives a degree of protection against malaria when people travel to areas where malaria cases exist. It is effective against Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malariae. It is not effective against Plasmodium falciparum. Besides this, it also treats amoebiasis (intestinal dysentery) and rheumatic disease (arthritis). It contains Chloroquine, which kills the organisms causing malaria and amoebiasis. It may cause common side effects such as vomiting, nausea, hair loss and itchy skin. Before taking this medicine, you should tell your doctor if you are allergic to any of its components or if you are pregnant/breastfeeding, and about all the medications you are taking and pre-existing medical conditions.
Read more
Prescription drug

Whats That

tooltip
Prescription drug
 Trailing icon
Consult Doctor

Manufacturer/Marketer

Pci Pharmaceuticals

Consume Type

ORAL

Return Policy

Not Returnable

for this medicine

About Malaquin 250mg Tablet

Malaquin 250mg Tablet belongs to the class of medications called 'quinoline' primarily used to treat malaria. Malaquin 250mg Tablet gives a degree of protection (prophylaxis) against malaria when people travel to areas where malarial cases exist. It is effective against Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malariae. Malaquin 250mg Tablet is not effective against Plasmodium falciparum. Besides this, it also treats amoebiasis (intestinal dysentery) and rheumatic disease (arthritis). 

Malaquin 250mg Tablet contains 'chloroquine' which acts by killing the malarial parasites, i.e. Plasmodium and stops the formation of the nontoxic heme metabolite hemozoin by the parasite. Heme part of the red blood cells is broken by the malarial, causing parasites. Malaquin 250mg Tablet prevents the breakdown of heme part and is actually toxic to the parasite. It kills the parasitic form living in red blood cells that resides in the liver.

Malaquin 250mg Tablet should be taken as prescribed by your doctor. The dose of Malaquin 250mg Tablet can vary depending upon your condition and the severity of the infection. The common side effects of Malaquin 250mg Tablet include vomiting, nausea, hair loss and itchy skin. Everyone need not experience the above side effects. In case of any discomfort, speak with a doctor.

Before starting Malaquin 250mg Tablet, please inform your doctor if you are allergic to chloroquine or have kidney or liver problems. Do not take Malaquin 250mg Tablet on your own. Malaquin 250mg Tablet is safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Prolonged use of Malaquin 250mg Tablet may have a severe risk on the heart and retina of the eyes leading to pounding heartbeats and permanent vision problems. 

Uses of Malaquin 250mg Tablet

Treatment of Malaria, Intestinal amoebiasis, Rheumatoid arthritis.

Medicinal Benefits

Malaquin 250mg Tablet falls into a group of medicines known as antimalarials, indicated for treating or preventing malaria. Malaquin 250mg Tablet contains chloroquine, which belongs to quinoline. It works by preventing the formation of the nontoxic heme metabolite hemozoin by the parasite. Due to this, the parasite dies from its own toxic by-products released due to haemoglobin's metabolism. Malaquin 250mg Tablet is also indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases like lupus and intestinal infection caused by amoeba (amoebiasis).

Directions for Use

Tablet/Capsule: Swallow it as a whole with water; do not crush, break or chew it.Syrup/Suspension: Shake the bottle well before use. Take the prescribed dose by mouth using the measuring cup/dosing syringe/dropper provided by the pack.

Storage

Store in a cool and dry place away from sunlight

Side Effects of Malaquin 250mg Tablet

  • Abnormal heart rhythm
  • Stomach pain
  • Nausea (being sick)
  • Diarrhoea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Headache
  • Skin rash
  • Liver problems

Drug Warnings

Malaquin 250mg Tablet does not respond well against all malaria strains, so consult with your doctor if you do not respond well to Malaquin 250mg Tablet. This medicine can affect heart health, especially if a person is taking medications, including the antibiotic azithromycin and anticancer like tamoxifen. An individual must consult with the doctor if they are noticing fast or pounding heartbeats and sudden dizziness. This medicine cannot be used for a long duration as it may cause irreversible damage to the eye that could lead to vision problems. Malaquin 250mg Tablet cannot be used in persons who have heart disease, heart rhythm disorder, diabetes, a stomach disorder, an allergy to quinine, liver or kidney disease, psoriasis, alcoholism, porphyria (a genetic enzyme disorder that affects the skin or nervous system), a genetic enzyme deficiency called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Consult with your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding as this medicine could only be used if prescribed by the doctor. 

Drug Interactions

Drug-Drug Interaction: Malaquin 250mg Tablet can interact with pain killers (aspirin), anti-allergic (hydroxyzine), anticancer (tamoxifen), antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, azithromycin, celecoxib), immunosuppressants (mycophenolate mofetil), antimalarials (proguanil, primaquine, mefloquine, hydroxychloroquine), antianxiety medicine (pregabalin), anti-epileptic (levetiracetam), antacids (esomeprazole), proguanil, and anti-anxiety drugs (alprazolam).

Drug-Food Interaction: Limit the consumption of grapefruit or grapefruit juice with Malaquin 250mg Tablet as it can significantly increase the level of this medicine in the blood. 

Drug-Disease Interaction: People affected with eye disorder (oculotoxicity), blood disease (porphyria), heart disease (arrhythmias), bone marrow suppression, ear disorder (cytotoxicity), seizures, enzyme deficiency (G-6-PD deficiency), liver disease (hepatotoxicity), muscle disorder (myasthenia gravis), skin disease (psoriasis) should not take Malaquin 250mg Tablet without doctors consultation.

Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List

  • PHENYLBUTAZONE
  • NEOSTIGMINE
  • PYRIDOSTIGMINE
  • AMPICILLIN
  • CIMETIDINE
  • TAMOXIFEN

Habit Forming

No

Diet & Lifestyle Advise

  • Always take Malaquin 250mg Tablet with meals for reduced gastric irritation.
  • Adequate nutrition is the key for improvement in malaria induced weakness.
  • It is important to allow the patient to eat regularly in small amounts to tolerate the food. 
  • Increase fluid and protein intake for malaria induced weight loss.
  • Proper rest and mosquito-free premises is important for the patient to recover.

Special Advise

Do not take Malaquin 250mg Tablet if you have had a previous reaction to Malaquin 250mg Tablet, or if you have certain eye problems involving your retina. Tell your healthcare provider about any problems you may have with your eyes.

Disease/Condition Glossary

Malaria: It is a severe & fatal parasitic infection caused by a protozoan called Plasmodium. 4 types of parasites can infect humans with malaria: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malaria. Female anopheles mosquito bites cause it. If bitten by an infected mosquito (the Anopheles mosquito), malaria parasites are injected into the blood. These parasites then migrate to the liver where they multiply via the bloodstream. A patient doesn't feel sick at this period because the parasites are in the liver. Then the parasites leave the liver and enter the red blood cells where the parasites are developing, and then the red blood cells burst, allowing them to transfer to another blood cell. The parasites release harmful chemicals into the bloodstream at this point, and the patient begins to feel ill. Malaria leads to periodic fever-chills, anaemia, kidney failure, and jaundice due to excessive red blood cell death due to plasmodium growth inside them.

bannner image

Alcohol

Caution

No serious interaction has been reported between alcohol and Malaquin 250mg Tablet yet alcohol should be avoided with Malaquin 250mg Tablet as it aggravates side effects.

bannner image

Pregnancy

Caution

Malaquin 250mg Tablet should be used with caution and can only be used in pregnancy if recommended by the doctor.

bannner image

Breast Feeding

Caution

It is not safe to breastfeed while taking Malaquin 250mg Tablet as this medicine can pass into breast milk. A patient is advised to take this drug only on doctor's consultation.

bannner image

Driving

Caution

Malaquin 250mg Tablet may cause blurred vision, so one should avoid driving or doing any activity that needs mental alertness. A patient is thus advised to take this drug only on doctor's consultation.

bannner image

Liver

Caution

Malaquin 250mg Tablet therapy is unlikely to cause liver injury in normal individuals but can trigger an acute worsening of porphyria in rare cases. Thus doctor's consultation is recommended before taking Malaquin 250mg Tablet.

bannner image

Kidney

Caution

Malaquin 250mg Tablet administration impairs kidney function in a few cases, so a patient is recommended to consult a doctor before taking Malaquin 250mg Tablet.

bannner image

Children

Safe if prescribed

Malaquin 250mg Tablet is safe to use in children, yet dose adjustment by a doctor will be done on the basis of age, weight, and severity of the infection.

Country of origin

India
Other Info - MA70701

Author Details

Doctor imageWe provide you with authentic, trustworthy and relevant information

FAQs

Malaquin 250mg Tablet is used to treat malaria. Malaquin 250mg Tablet gives a degree of protection against malaria when people travel to areas where malarial cases exist. It is effective against Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malariae. Malaquin 250mg Tablet is not effective against Plasmodium falciparum. Besides this, it also treats amoebiasis (intestinal dysentery) and rheumatic disease (arthritis).
Malaquin 250mg Tablet works by preventing the formation of the nontoxic heme metabolite hemozoin by the parasite. Due to this, the parasite dies from its own toxic by-products released due to haemoglobin's metabolism.
The use of Malaquin 250mg Tablet is not allowed in persons who are already taking any antibiotic (azithromycin) as it may cause dangerous effects on the heart.
No such effect has been reported yet. Always consult your doctor for the change of dose regimen or an alternative medicine if needed.
No such harmful interaction has been reported in patients who take this drug under strict doctors' surveillance. However, some patients might experience eye (retina) damage and cause pounding heart, so patient taking Malaquin 250mg Tablet is advised to consult a doctor and have regular check-ups cyclically.
There may be a risk of hemolysis in patients with G6PD deficiency while using Malaquin 250mg Tablet. Doctor's consultation is mandatory before you start this medication.

Disclaimer

While we strive to provide complete, accurate, and expert-reviewed content on our 'Platform', we make no warranties or representations and disclaim all responsibility and liability for the completeness, accuracy, or reliability of the aforementioned content. The content on our platform is for informative purposes only, and may not cover all clinical/non-clinical aspects. Reliance on any information and subsequent action or inaction is solely at the user's risk, and we do not assume any responsibility for the same. The content on the Platform should not be considered or used as a substitute for professional and qualified medical advice. Please consult your doctor for any query pertaining to medicines, tests and/or diseases, as we support, and do not replace the doctor-patient relationship.