the substance

about the name ‘atroquinine’

ATROQUININE is a fictional synthetic poison introduced in Capcom Nintendo DS game Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, released in Japan as 逆転裁判4 (Gyakuten Saiban 4; lit. Turnabout Trial 4). Atroquinine is a potent substance with a lethal dose at 0.002 mg and is known for its slow-acting property, taking at least 15 minutes after ingestion to affect the human body. The poison affects the body’s central nervous system and symptoms include trembling of the limbs, arching of the back, and burning of the throat. There is a reactor chemical that turns blue in the presence of atroquinine.

The only recorded case of someone surviving atroquinine poisoning is the case of Vera Misham, a fictional character in the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney game, though she fell into a coma due to the near-lethal dosage she ingested. The Gavinners, a fictional band in the same game, released a platinum hit single titled “Atroquinine, My Love” and is featured in the fourth episode of the game.

The substance, atroquinine, may be based on the real chemical quinine, which is used to cure malaria. The prefix “atro” is based on a Latin word meaning “dark,” so “atroquinine” literally means “dark quinine”.