Quinine comes from the bark of the Cinchona tree. Not so long ago, it was the world's leading anti-malarial drug. Quinine water was used as the tonic in Gin and Tonic; the drink started out among British civil servants living in India and other malarial colonies, and then became rather popular at home. One small problem. New research shows that Quinine is toxic to the testicles.

Historians have long discussed the consumption of lead citrate as a factor that sped up the decline and fall of the Greek and Roman empires. Historians should be asking if quinine was a factor in the decline of Britannia.

It's not possible to say for certain, but if the animal studies conducted in the last few years hold true for humans, then the fertility and reproductive success of educated and adventurous Brits was pushed downward by their fondness for G&T. Meanwhile, the proles kept on procreating at a high rate.

The studies show that quinine suppresses testosterone levels and reduces sperm production. Anatomically, it causes abnormal development of the spermatogenic epithelium, leydig cells, interstitial endocrinocytes, and sustenocytes in the testicles.

Maybe the collapse of the British Empire was inevitable after WWII - England was on the winning side, but took a heavy beating to its economy and military. After losing so much life in the 1940s, their appetite for sending large military forces around the world was curbed. And the international aspiration for decolonization didn't have roots in anyone's choice of beverages. We can't blame Gandhi on quinine.

Quinine water for mixing drinks is still available in most western countries, but is much less popular than it was in the mid 1900s. And it is weaker. The US Food and Drug Administration limits quinine water to a strength of 83 parts per million, about 1/4 of what it used to be.

An 'energy drink' called Howling Monkey reportedly contains quinine as an ingredient, although their website doesn't indicate if this is true, or what amount is used. In fact, their website is limited to an annoying animation with no real information. One blogger describes the taste of Howling Monkey as blend of gasoline and urine. I won't be trying it anytime soon, unless the undulating fever gets me in it grips.

Today, the main drug used to treat malaria is chloroquine, a semi-synthetic variation of quinine. And even old fashioned plain quinine is still in use - some strains of malaria are resistant to chloroquine, but respond to quinine plus an antibiotic.

Being treated with quinine seems preferable to having malaria. But the non-medical use of this herb seems unwise. Especially if you plan on having children, or enjoy the effects of testosterone on your metabolism and libido.

The only good news from the recent lab studies on quinine's testicular toxicity? The effects seem to be rather temporary. Quitting cold-turkey may lead to a restoration of normal function.

External Links

• Quinine lowers serum and testicular testosterone in adult Sprague-Dawley rats.
• Effect of quinine on the morphology of mouse testes.