Hydroquinine, a naturally occurring compound used to treat malaria and muscle cramps, kills bacteria associated with microbial keratitis, reported a new study.
The research team, from Portsmouth University and Thailand’s Naresuan and Pibulsongkram Rajabhat universities, soaked contact lenses in a multi-purpose solution containing hydroquinine, finding it was particularly effective in destroying and inhibiting the adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Derived from the bark of the Cinchona pubescens tree, hydroquinine has been shown to kill other bacteria associated with microbial keratitis, including Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Klebsiella pneumonia, noted authors in the journal Antibiotics. It could be effective in the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, while avoiding preservatives being used on the ocular surface, said lead author Sattaporn Weawsiangsang. "However, further investigation is needed to determine whether hydroquinine itself also has adverse reactions or toxicity.”
