cinchona

Cinchona is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. Native to the Andean region of western South America, these shrubs and small trees have long been valued for their bark, which contains alkaloids such as quinine and quinidine. The name honors the Countess of Chinchón, widow of the Viceroy of Peru, who was treated with the bark for fever in the 17th century.

Quinine was isolated in 1820 by French chemists Pelletier and Caventou, transforming malaria treatment. For centuries, cinchona bark was the principal natural source of quinine; later, synthetic and semi-synthetic antimalarials reduced reliance on natural bark. Today quinine is still used in specific cases and in some combination therapies, and cinchona bark remains of historical and horticultural interest.

Species such as Cinchona officinalis, Cinchona ledgeriana, Cinchona calisaya, and Cinchona pubescens have supplied bark for quinine production. The plants grow at high elevations in the Andes, in forest margins and montane habitats. Large-scale extraction during the 19th century led to overharvesting and ecological concerns; cultivation was established in plantations in places like Java (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, and India to secure supplies.

Conservation and regulation now influence harvesting; wild populations in some areas are protected. Alkaloid content varies by species and altitude, complicating standardization. Beyond medicine, cinchona is grown as an ornamental plant in suitable climates and as a historical symbol of pharmacology and the colonial era of medicine.