The cinchona is a genus of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants of the order Cinchonaceae native to South America which consists of gamopetalous, calycifloral dicotyledons, sometimes regarded as a sub-order of Rubiaceae.with fragrant white or pink flowers. They have simple opposite leaves, flowers arranged in panicles or corymbs; calyx adherent, entire or toothed; corolla regular; stamens attached to corolla; ovary two-celled; fruit inferior, dry or succulent. The bark contains quinine and other related alkaloids. The tree was named in honour of the countess of Chinchon, the vice-Queen of Peru after she was cured of fever by cinchona bark in 1638.
The genus Cinchona consists of trees seldom exceeding 14 metres in height, with simple, opposite, entire leaves and small flowers, inhabiting chiefly the east side of the Andes of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Colombia. The valuable Peruvian bark is yielded by various species; crown or loxa bark by Cinchona Condaminea, gray or huanuco bark by Cinchona micrantha and Cinchona nitida, red-bark by Cinchona succirubra, yellow or calisaya bark by Cinchona Calisaya. From the wasteful method of cutting down the trees to get their bark it was believed that there would soon be a dearth of the valuable medicine, and hence cinchona plants were taken from their native regions and plantations formed in various tropical countries including Sri Lanka, India, Java, etc. Research Cinchona
Exostemma is a genus of plants of the natural order Cinchonaceae. The species are trees or shrubs, natives of tropical America and the West Indies. Exostemma caribceum and Exostemma floribunda possess properties similar to those of the true cinchona, but without any trace of either cinchonine or quinine. Research Exostemma
Antipyretics are medicines given for the purpose of reducing fever by lowering the patient's temperature, whether by causing perspiration or otherwise. Quinine, anti-pyrin, phenacetin, are common antipyretics. An aperient or purgative often serves the same purpose. Research Antipyretics
Antipyrin (Phenazone) is a synthetic drug obtained from coal-tar and discovered in 1883 by Knorr. It was formerly used in medicine as an antipyretic and analgesic in place of quinine. Research Antipyrin
Blackwater fever is a rare and serious complication of chronic malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum following quinine treatment and characterised by massive destruction of the red blood cells, producing dark red or blackish urine. The patient has fever, rigors, jaundice, vomitting, pain in the loins and thirst. Recovery may follow, or death may occur from exhaustion, high fever or suppression of urine. Research Blackwater Fever
Chinoline is an oily liquid obtained by distilling quinine with potash and a little water, or by the dry distillation of coal. It was formerly used in medicine as an antiseptic, and was especially effective when applied to the membranes of diphtheria, being also a remedy in intermittent fevers, etc. Research Chinoline
Jesuit's Bark, later called Peruvian Bark (fever-wood) is the bark of the cinchona or chinchona tree. Its existence was brought to Europeans by a Jesuit about 1535 but it was not generally used until 1633 when the wife of the viceroy of Peru was cured of a fever with it. She brought it to Europe in 1639 and it came into general use in 1680. The active constituent of Jesuit's Bark is quinine. Research Jesuit's Bark
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Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Coquetta Bark
