Aminoquinoline

/əˌmiːnoʊˈkwɪnəliːn/ noun

Definition

A class of chemical compounds that combine amino groups with quinoline structures, famous for being the active ingredients in antimalarial drugs like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine.

Etymology

From amino- + quinoline (quin from quinine + -oline, a chemical suffix). The quinoline ring itself is based on quinine, the natural alkaloid from cinchona bark discovered by Spanish conquistadors in Peru.

Kelly Says

Hydroxychloroquine, an aminoquinoline drug that's been used for malaria since the 1950s, unexpectedly became one of the most controversial medicines during COVID-19, showing how old drugs can suddenly become relevant in new ways.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.