Cinchona officinalis.   Quinine bark, Peruvian Bark, Jesuit's Bark  Family: Rubiaceae       
Red cinchona is C. succirubra
Yellow cinchona is C calisaya and C. ledgeriana.
PART USED: Bark of stem and root
TASTE: Bitter and astringent ODOR: Slight
ACTIONS
TASTE: Bitter and astringent ODOR: Slight
GROUP: Herbs Influencing Nutrition- Bitters
1. Bitter.[1,2] Tonic.[3]
2. Antiprotozoal.[1,2] Antimalarial.[3]
3. Astringent.[1,3]
4. Aperitive.
5. Orexigenic (appetite stimulant).[1,3]
6. Febrifuge.[1,3]
7. Spasmolytic.[1,3]
INDICATIONS
1. Malaria.[1,2] Splenomegaly.[1] Fevers including remittent and intermittent fevers.
2. Anorexia.[1,2] Dyspepsia.[1,2] General debility especially with loss of appetite.[1,2] Hyperchlorhydria.[1]
2. Myalgia.[1,2] Cramps.[1,2]
3. Neuralgia.
4. Influenza- as prophylatic.[1] Pharyngitis- as gargle.[1]
5. Dipsomania.(alcoholism)[1]
Local- Influenza- gargle.
SPECIFIC INDICATIONS: General debility, with anorexia.[1]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Pregnancy.[1,2] Should not be used for prolonged treatments.[2]
COMBINATIONS
- Anorexia nervosa, use with Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Marshmallow Root, Angelica Root and Hops.
- Influenza, use with Yarrow, Peppermint and Pleurisy root.
- Cramps, use with Cramp bark and Prickly Ash.
PREPARATIONS
The bark occurs in quills of flat pieces up to 30 cm long, and 3-6 mm thick. The external surface is brownish-grey, usually fissured with an exfoliating cork, and lichen and mosses may be seen as greyish-white or greenish patches. Inner surface yellowish to reddish-brown. Fracture fibrous.
Dried or powdered bark 0.3-1 g,[1,2,3] or by decoction.[1]
Decoction of Powder 0.3-1g in 6-20 ml of water.[2]
Fluid Extract  (BPC 1954) 0.3-1 ml.[1,3]
Tincture (BPC 1949) 2-4 ml.[1,2,3]
Maximum dose (Medicines Act: order 1977, 2130), 250 mg bark, which is approximately equaivalent to 2.5 ml T. Cinchona 1:10.[1]
Note-Cinchona alkaloids are precipatated by alkalies, although the sediment may be suspended in gum acacia mucilage.[1] Incompatible with iodides and salicylates.[1]
   
ORIGIN: South America. cultivated in India, Africa and the Far East. It is native to wet montane forests in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, between 1600–2700 meters above sea level.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research

Activity of a combination of three cinchona bark alkaloids against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro.
Druilhe P, Brandicourt O, Chongsuphajaisiddhi T, Berthe J.
Abstract
In vitro studies with quinine, quinidine, cinchonine, and cinchonidine showed that despite a similarity of chemical structure, the effectiveness of these cinchona bark alkaloids against several culture lines of Plasmodium falciparum varied widely. Depending on the strain tested, quinidine and cinchonine were 1 to 10 and 1 to 5 times, respectively, more active than quinine. A combination made of equal parts of quinine, quinidine, and cinchonine was found to have several interesting features; it had activity similar to that of quinine against quinine-susceptible strains but was found to be 2 to 10 times more effective against strains resistant to quinine and had a more consistent effect than any of the alkaloids used singly. The potentiation was found to depend mainly on the presence of cinchonine in the mixtures studied. Synergism was also confirmed in a study of 25 P. falciparum strains isolated from Thai patients. Combinations of cinchona bark alkaloids could thus be of interest in areas where P. falciparum is becoming less susceptible to quinine.
PMID: 3284455 PMCID: PMC172144  Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1988 Feb;32(2):250-4. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov