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Quinine is a substance that is extracted from the bark of a plant common in the countries of South America, known as quina or, scientifically, asCinchona calisaya.
In the past, quinine was one of the most widely used substances in the treatment of malaria, but since the creation of other synthetic drugs such as chloroquine or primaquine, quinine has been used only in some more specific cases of malaria and under medical guidance.
Although quinine is not widely used today, its tree remains a source for the preparation of traditional remedies, such as quina tea, due to its febrifugal, antimalarial, digestive and healing properties.
What is the quinine tree for
In addition to providing high concentrations of quinine, the quinine tree also contains other compounds such as quinidine, cinconine and dihydroquinamine, which can be used for different purposes, the main ones being:
- Assist in the treatment of malaria;
- Improve digestion;
- Help detoxify the liver and the body;
- Antiseptic and anti-inflammatory action;
- Fight fever;
- Reduce body pain;
- Assist in the treatment of angina and tachycardia.
In addition, the compounds obtained from the quinine plant, mainly quinine, can also be used as a bitter additive in some foods and drinks, and can be found, for example, in some tonic waters. However, in the form of a soda, quinine is not in sufficient concentrations to have a therapeutic effect.
Does tonic water contain quinine?
Tonic water is a type of soft drink that contains quinine hydrochloride in its composition, which gives the bitter taste typical of the drink. However, the concentrations of this substance in the tonic water are very low, being below 5 mg / L, having no therapeutic effect against malaria or any other type of disease.
How to prepare quina tea
Quina is popularly used in the form of tea, which can be made from the leaves and bark of the plant. To prepare Quina tea, mix 1 liter of water and 2 spoons of the plant's bark, and let it boil for 10 minutes. Then let it sit for 10 minutes and drink a maximum of 2 to 3 cups a day.
In addition, the quinine present in the quina plant can be found in the form of capsules, however, it is important to note that this medication should only be used after medical clearance, as there are contraindications and there may be side effects.
It is also important to keep in mind that quina tea can be indicated by the doctor only as a way to complement the treatment with medicines, because the concentration of quinine obtained in the leaf is much lower than the concentration obtained from the trunk of the tree and, for therefore, tea alone would not have sufficient activity against the infectious agent responsible for malaria.
Contraindications and possible side effects
The use of the quinine plant and, consequently, quinine, is contraindicated for pregnant women, children, as well as patients with depression, blood clotting problems or liver diseases. In addition, the use of quinine should be evaluated when the patient uses other medications, such as Cisapride, Heparin, Rifamycin or Carbamazepine.
It is important that the use of the quinine plant is indicated by the doctor, as excessive amounts of this plant can have some adverse effects, such as altered heartbeat, nausea, mental confusion, blurred vision, dizziness, hemorrhages and liver problems.
Created by: Tua Saúde Editorial Team
Bibliography>
- OLIVEIRA, Alfredo Ricardo M .; SZCZERBOWSKI, Daiane. Quinine: 470 years of history, controversies and development. Quim. Nova. Vol 32. 7th ed; 1971-1974, 2009
- POLLITO, Percy A. Z .; FILHO, Mário T. Cinchona amazonica Cinchona amazonica Standl. (Rubiaceae) in the state of Acre, Brazil. Bol. Mus. For. Emílio Goeldi. Natural Sciences, Belém. Vol 1. 1 ed; 9-18, 2006
- MALDONADO, Carla et al. Phylogeny Predicts the Quantity of Antimalarial Alkaloids within the Iconic Yellow Cinchona Bark (Rubiaceae: Cinchona calisaya). Front. Plant Sci. Vol 22. 2017