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Diss Factsheets

Administrative data

Description of key information

Quinine bisulphate is a contact sensitizer. In the case reports, all patients became sensitized after exposure. Furthermore, quinine bisulphate is not irritating to eyes since quinine bisulphate has been used for a number of years as a clarifier of corneal opacities and to improve granular ophthalmia.

Additional information

Sensitisation data:

For testing the skin sensitisation, five patients expected to be sensitive to quinine sulphate were tested with a standard patch test. All five patients reacted to a 2% solution of quinine sulphate. The patiens became sensitized after exposure. In a second case report published by Hardie et al., 1978, 15 of 23 workers suggested that the skin eruption had been work-related. In a patch-test of these 15 patients suspected to be sensitized to quinine or quinidine only one positive patch test were obtained for quinine alkaloid. The patch test was strongly positive at 48 h to 1% aqueous quinine sulfate. Thus, Quinine bisulphate is expected to be a contact allergen.

Exposure related observations in humans:

Quinine bisulphate ointment has been used for a number of years as a clarifier of corneal opacities through its destruction of lymphocytes and leukocytes. In the two case reports a 2 % quinine bisulphate ointment was used post-operative to improve the regeneration. Furthermore, experiments have shown that quinine is one of the most effective antiseptics. Therefore, quinine bisulphat powder was used to improve granular ophthalmia. In these case reports the eyes improved rapidly, the granulations became smaller and the intolerance of light disappeared after using the quinine bisulphate powder. Thus, it can be conclude that quinine bisulphate is not irritating to eyes.