Cinchona
Cinchona
Cinchona (pronounced: /sɪnˈkoʊnə/) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae, containing about 23 species. The plant is native to the tropical Andean forests of western South America.
Etymology
The name Cinchona is derived from the Countess of Chinchón, the wife of a viceroy of Peru, who, in 1638, was introduced to the medicinal properties of the bark from a tree native to Peru. The bark was later named after her as Cinchona.
Description
Cinchona plants are large shrubs or small trees with evergreen foliage, growing 5–15 m (16–49 ft) in height. The leaves are opposite, rounded to lanceolate, and 10–40 cm long. The flowers are produced in large panicles, and are white, pink or red, and the fruit is a small capsule containing numerous seeds.
Medical Uses
Cinchona bark is used in the production of quinine, a potent antimalarial agent. The bark is stripped from the tree, dried, and then ground into a fine powder. This powder is then used to produce quinine, which is used to treat malaria.
In addition to its antimalarial properties, Cinchona bark has been used in traditional medicine to treat fever, indigestion, mouth and throat diseases, and cancer.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cinchona
- Wikipedia's article - Cinchona
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