Quinine Test

The quinine test is a method for determining the acidity of gastric juice, based on the amount of quinine found in the urine 2 hours after taking an ion exchanger saturated with this substance.

The use of quinine to determine the acidity of gastric juice was proposed at the beginning of the 20th century. The acidity of gastric juice is an important indicator of its function and can be altered in various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

The quinine test is carried out as follows. The patient is given a certain amount of ion exchange resin saturated with quinine. Then, after two hours, the urine is collected and the amount of quinine in it is measured. The amount of quinine in the urine is proportional to the acidity of the gastric juice, since quinine is excreted in the gastric juice and excreted through the kidneys.

The quinine test is a fairly simple and inexpensive method for determining the acidity of gastric juice. However, it has some limitations, since the acidity of gastric juice can be changed not only by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, but also by other conditions of the body, such as stress or taking certain medications.

In addition, the quinine test can be unpleasant for the patient, since the ion exchanger saturated with quinine has a bitter taste, and urine collection after two hours can be inconvenient.

In general, the quinine test can be a useful method for determining gastric acidity in some cases, but its use should be limited according to the clinical situation and individual patient characteristics.

Quinine test is a method for determining the acidity of gastric juice by the amount of quinine contained in the urine 2-4 hours after its administration and thorough mixing with gastric juice. Quinine binds to hydrogen cations (hydrogen ions H+) in the stomach in the form of salt compounds.

The method allows you to study both the acidity itself (H+ concentration) and the production of acids during the digestion process. The principle of the method is based on a simple chemical reaction: a small amount of dry ion exchanger is placed in an infusion of gastric contents and urine is added. Then, after a few hours, the quinine content is determined. If the content of the drug has increased (the higher the acidity, the more intense the binding) due to the chemical interaction of substances in the test tube, then the result is positive. In negative cases, the connection is not established. Therefore, we can judge the percentage of neutralization of gastric juice (hydration).

A special device is used to study the level of stomach acidity. A rubber tube with a syringe is placed on the jar in which the stomach contents will be taken for analysis. The tube must be held in the rectum and at the same time tilt the head down so that the medium enters the tube. Cases of narrowing of the esophagus (due to anatomical features of the structure or the presence of disease) are not subject to analysis when