Botanical name of Cinchona and its medicinal properties

Common Names

Peruvian Bark, Red Bark. Jesuits' Powder. Cinchona Bark

Botanical Name

Cinchona spp

The botanical name for cinchona is Cinchona. Cinchona is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family, which also includes coffee, gardenias, and madder. Cinchona plants are native to the Andean regions of South America and are known for their medicinal properties.

The most famous use of cinchona is as a source of quinine, which is used to treat malaria. Quinine is a natural compound found in the bark of certain species of cinchona trees. It was first discovered by the Quechua people of South America and was later introduced to Europe by Jesuit missionaries in the early 17th century.

In addition to its use as a malaria treatment, cinchona has a number of other medicinal properties. It has been used to treat a variety of ailments including fever, muscle cramps, and arthritis. It is also a natural tonic and has been used to improve digestion and boost the immune system.

Cinchona plants are large shrubs or small trees that can grow up to 20 feet tall. They have glossy green leaves and small, white or pink flowers. The bark of the cinchona tree is thick and contains high levels of quinine and other alkaloids.

Cinchona plants are grown in a number of countries including Peru, Ecuador, and India. They require a humid, tropical climate and do best in well-draining soil.

Varieties/Species of cinchona

There are several varieties of cinchona plants, which are known for their medicinal properties. Cinchona is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family, which also includes coffee, gardenias, and madder. Cinchona plants are native to the Andean regions of South America and are grown in a number of countries including Peru, Ecuador, and India.

The most well-known variety of cinchona is Cinchona officinalis, which is the primary source of quinine. Quinine is a natural compound found in the bark of the cinchona tree and is used to treat malaria. Cinchona officinalis is a large shrub or small tree that can grow up to 20 feet tall and has glossy green leaves and small, white or pink flowers.

Other varieties of cinchona include:

Cinchona calisaya: This variety of cinchona is native to Peru and is also a source of quinine. It is a tall, slender tree with yellow or orange flowers.

Cinchona pubescens: This variety of cinchona is native to Ecuador and is also known as red cinchona or quina. It is a small tree with dark green leaves and red or pink flowers.

Cinchona ledgeriana: This variety of cinchona is native to Ecuador and is also known as quinine bark. It is a tall, slender tree with green or yellow flowers.

Cinchona succirubra: This variety of cinchona is native to Peru and is also known as red cinchona or quina. It is a small tree with dark green leaves and red or pink flowers.

Scientific/Botanical Classification of  Cinchona

The scientific classification of cinchona is:

Kingdom: Plantae

Subkingdom: Tracheobionta

Superdivision: Spermatophyta

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Subclass: Asteridae

Order: Gentianales

Family: Rubiaceae

Genus: Cinchona

Species: C. officinalis (common cinchona) and other species within the genus.

The scientific classification of cinchona begins with the kingdom Plantae, which includes all living organisms that are classified as plants. These organisms are characterized by their ability to photosynthesize and produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis.

The next level of classification is the subkingdom Tracheobionta, which includes plants that have vascular tissue (tissues that transport water and nutrients throughout the plant). This is an important characteristic for cinchona, as it is a tree that requires a lot of water and nutrients to survive.

The superdivision Spermatophyta includes seed-producing plants, and the division Magnoliophyta includes flowering plants. The class Magnoliopsida includes dicotyledonous plants, which are plants that have two cotyledons (seed leaves) in their seedlings.

The subclass Asteridae includes plants that have a particular type of flower symmetry and arrangement of their sepals and petals. The order Gentianales includes plants that are characterized by their showy flowers and their possession of bitter compounds.

The family Rubiaceae includes plants that have opposite leaves and interpetiolar stipules (small leaf-like structures that grow between the petioles of the leaves). The genus Cinchona includes trees and shrubs that are native to the Andean region of South America and are known for their medicinal properties.

Finally, the species C. officinalis is the most commonly known and used species within the genus, and it is also known as common cinchona or quinine. Other species within the genus include C. ledgeriana, C. calisaya, and C. micrantha, among others.

Medicinal Properties and Uses of Cinchona

Analgesic, Antiparasite, Astringent, Bitter, Febrifuge.

The bark of the cinchona tree contains a group of alkaloids known as quinine, which has a variety of medicinal properties.

One of the primary medicinal uses of cinchona is the treatment of malaria. Quinine, which is extracted from cinchona bark, has been used for centuries to treat malaria and is still an important medication for the treatment of this disease, particularly in areas where resistance to other antimalarial drugs is common.

In addition to its use in the treatment of malaria, quinine and other cinchona alkaloids have been used to treat a variety of other conditions. For example, quinine has been used to treat muscle cramps, particularly those that occur in the legs at night (nocturnal leg cramps). It has also been used to treat lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders.

Other medicinal uses of cinchona include the treatment of fever, influenza, and other infectious diseases. It has also been used as a tonic to increase appetite and improve digestion.

It's important to note that cinchona and quinine can have serious side effects and should be used only under the supervision of a healthcare provider. In addition, quinine is no longer recommended for the treatment of leg cramps due to the risk of serious side effects.

Constituents of cinchona

alkaloids, quinine, cinchonidine, cinchonine, quinidine, hydrocinchonidine, quinamine, homocinchonidine, hydroquinine, quinic and cincholannic acids, bitter amorphous glucoside, starch and calcium oxalate

Habitat

Tropical, The bark is spongy, very slight odour, taste astringent and strongly bitter.. India, South America.

Side Effects

The FDA has banned off label uses of the drug Quinine sulfate due to reports of possible side effects. Tonic water is still a safe home remedy for nighttime leg cramps, however, it is very dilute and generally contains less than 1 percent of the amount of quinine found in a typical therapeutic dose of the drug.

How to Prepare

As an herbal infusion: This infusion is prepared by using a cup of boiling water to steep a teaspoonful of the powdered bark. The herbal infusion made from cinchona bark can be taken thrice daily for treating malaria and fevers.