CINCHONA
CINCHONA
History:Cinchona is native to Eastern slopes of the Andes at high altitudes (1500-2500 m). It is known that the bark was first used as an antipyretic in 1630 by Jesuits, although it was discovered in 1513 in Peru. Owing to the efforts of Viceroy of Peru, Count Chinchon it was introduced as a drug in Europe around 1655. It was officially reported as an infusion in London Pharmacopoeia in 1677. In the honour of viceroy, the genus was described by Linnaeus as Cinchona in 1742. After the isolation of quinine and cinchona in 1860, C. calisaya, C. micrantha and C. succirubra were introduced in India by Markham. Dutch, introduced C. ledgeriana content. In India, owing to the antimalarial and antipyretic use of the durg; right from 1880, a large area was taken for cultivation of cinchona in west Bengal, which eventually shifted to South India.
Synonym: Jesuit’s bark, Peruvian bark.
Biological Source: Dried bark of Cinchona calisaya Wedd, C. ledgeriana Moens, C. officinalis Linn. belonging to family Rubiaceae.
Geographical source: Cinchona is found in India, Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Tanzania, Guatemala, Indonesia and Sir Lanka.
Cultivation and collection:
-Most of Cinchona species profusely grow in sub-tropical of tropical climates at a height of about 1000-3000 m.
-The rainfall conditions required are uniform from 250-380 cm in a year.
-Cinchona needs sloppy situation, high humidity and protection from wind.
-The propagation is done with either seeds or budding or layering. By seeds they are admixed with soil during sowing. The germination takes place in 3-6 weeks. The seedling with 2 pairs of leaves are transplanted and space of 6-10 cm is maintained between two seedlings and 2 rows. In forest soil, they are transplanted after 15 months of growth and proferably before heavy rainfall.
-The plants from 4-2o years of age are selected for harvesting but the maximum alkaloidal content is found to 6-10 years old plants.-The bark is collected by copping method, stripped off and dried. The root bark is collected by uprooting the tree and bark is separated manually.
Macroscopic characters:
-Cinchona bark has slight and characteristic odor but some what astringent and intensely bitter taste.
-Bark is generally available in forms of quills and curved pieces.
-Stem bark: It is upto 30 cm length and about 2-6 mm in thickness. The outer surface shows dull grey or grey color which is rough and has transverse fissure, whereas inner has pale yellowish brown to deep reddish brown color. These color depends upon species.
-Root Bark: It occurs in length of 2-7 cm. The bark is curved, twisted or irregularly channeled. The outer and inner surfaces are similar in color. The outer surface is scaly and shows depressions. The inner surface is striated.
Microscopic characters:
-Cinchona exhibits typical histological characters of the bark.
-The cork cells are thin walled followed by phelloderm.
-The cortex consists of several secretory channels and pholem fibers.
-Medullary rays with radially arranged cells are present.
-Idioblast of clacium oxalate is the specific characteristic of its bark.
-starch grains are present in the parenchyma tissues.
Chemical constituents: Quinine, quinidine, cinchonine, cinchonidine and also quinic acid, cinchotannic acid.
Uses:
-Cinchona bark is antimalarial in nature.
-Its extract is employed as bitter stomachics and anti-pyretics.
-Also as cardiac depressant and to prevent certain arrhythmia and atrial fibrillation.
Substituents: Cuprea bark (Remijia pedunculata), False cuprea bark (R. purdiena)
0 comments:
Post a Comment