Is there a difference between quinine from Chincona bark vs other quinine?

[Guest guest]

I am confused by the apparent ban on the use of quinine except, for instance, in

Tonic Water supposedly because of effects bad for the heart. When trying to

figure out the differences between quinone and quinine I read Wikipedia where it

says:

" It is a stereoisomer of quinidine which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic.

Quinine contains two major fused-ring systems: the aromatic quinoline and the

bicyclic quinuclidine.

I then checked out the antiarrhythmic link:

Antiarrhythmic agents are a group of pharmaceuticals that are used to suppress

abnormal rhythms of the heart (cardiac arrhythmias), such as atrial

fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular

fibrillation.

Then " stereosisomer " : Stereoisomerism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Stereoisomer)

Stereoisomers are isomeric molecules that have the same molecular formula and

sequence of bonded atoms (constitution), but which differ only in the

three-dimensional orientations of their atoms in space.[1][2] Structural isomers

share the same molecular formula, but the bond connections and/or their order

between different atoms/groups differs. In stereoisomers, the order and bond

connections of the constituent atoms remains the same, but their orientation in

space differ.

I then went to see what the quinidine meant regarding that. :

Quinidine is a pharmaceutical agent that acts as a class I antiarrhythmic agent

(Ia) in the heart. It is a stereoisomer of quinine, originally derived from the

bark of the cinchona tree.

2 Big questions for others more in the know on these terms:

1) What exactly does the stereoisomer bit in relationship to quinine and

quinidine mean where apparently the quinidine is good for the heart but quinine

not ... both derived from Chincona or just quinine?

2) IF the quinidine is synthetic, then would naturally derived quinine as

opposed to synthetic quinine be ok for the heart? It seems to me from the

quinine Wiki explanation that possibly an artificial quinine might be like many

things which are good in the natural state but not processed.

Thanks for any light anyone can shed on these products. The reason I am

wondering is because just a tiny bit of quinine pill from a prescription I got

years ago is effective against night leg cramps in a few seconds. I am now

trying the Ivory soap under the bedsheet trick which is claimed to be very

effective. So far so good on that.

I do have the atrial fib and congestive heart ...although it has definitely

become better over the past year or so. I don't want to take any risks with it.

The other question I have relates to ubiquinol and how it relates to the

quinines, etc. and the COQ10 as some online authorities seem to say it is more

effective than CoQ10.

Joyce Simmerman