Quinine

n. medication used to treat malaria

Quinine is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic (fever-reducing), anti-smallpox, analgesic (painkilling), and anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of quinidine.Quinine was the first effective treatment for malaria caused by P falciparum, appearing in therapeutics in the 17th century. It remained the antimalarial drug of choice until the 1940s, when other drugs took over. Since then, many effective antimalarials have been introduced, although quinine is still used to treat the disease in certain critical situations. Quinine is available with a prescription in the United States. Quinine is also used to treat nocturnal leg cramps and arthritis, and there have been attempts (with limited success) to treat prion diseases. It was once a popular heroin adulterant.
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Quinine /qui·nine/ an alkaloid of cinchona that was once widely used to control and prevent malaria; it also has analgesic, antipyretic, mild [more]Quinine - Community and Resources

Noun
1. a bitter alkaloid extracted from chinchona bark; used in malaria therapy
(hypernym) antimalarial, antimalarial drug
(substance-holonym) tonic, tonic water, quinine water

n. quinine, medication used to treat malaria