Rubiaceae
Cinchona Bark
Cinchona officinalis
⚠ Use with Caution
Avoid in Pregnancy
Native to: Andes, South America (Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador)
Also known as: Peruvian Bark, Fever Tree, Jesuit's Bark, Quinine Bark
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Parts Used
Bark
Therapeutic Uses
Malaria (historical — quinine first effective antimalarial), babesiosis, leg cramps (quinine), cardiac arrhythmias (quinidine). SOURCE of quinine used in tonic water. Largely replaced by synthetic drugs.
Herbal Actions
Antimalarial (quinine), antipyretic, bitter tonic, antiarrhythmic (quinidine), analgesic
Active Constituents
Quinoline alkaloids (quinine, quinidine, cinchonine, cinchonidine), tannins, bitter glycosides (chinovabitter)
Preparation Methods
🏺 Tincture🍵 Decoction
Traditional Preparation Notes
| Herbal Tea | 0.5 tsp bark per 250ml, steep 10 min, 3x daily — bitter tonic use |
| Tincture | 2–4 ml (1:5, 40% ethanol), 3x daily for bitter tonic |
| Notes | Whole bark as bitter tonic safe. Quinine for malaria: medical supervision required (narrow therapeutic index). Tonic water contains trace quinine (83mg/L) — generally safe. Quinidine (antiarrhythmic): prescription only. |
Safety Information
Safety Rating
⚠ Use with Caution
Pregnancy
Avoid in Pregnancy
Drug Interactions
⚠ Known interactions
Contraindications: Avoid in pregnancy (uterotonic, abortifacient at high doses). Avoid with anticoagulants, cardiac medications. G6PD deficiency — hemolysis risk. Quinine narrow therapeutic index.
Side Effects: Cinchonism (tinnitus, headache, nausea — dose-dependent). Cardiac arrhythmias. Hemolysis (G6PD deficiency). Hypoglycemia. Allergic reactions.