Quinine, the commonly used drug for malaria, is obtained from a plant. What part of the plant yield the drug?

Quinine, the commonly used drug for malaria, is obtained from a plant. What part of the plant yield the drug? Correct Answer Bark

The correct answer is Bark.

Quinine is obtained from the bark of cinchona.

• It is obtained from the alkaline  maceration of cinchona bark by treating it with a solvent mixture containing at least one hydrocarbon and a solvent containing at least one hydrocarbon.
• Quinine is an antimalarial and anti-babesiosis drug.
• When artesunate is not available, this involves the treatment of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum, which is immune to chloroquine.
• Quinine is also the bitterness-inducing component in tonic water.
• It is also advised to treat malaria during pregnancy with quinine when possible.
• Quinine is a naturally occurring chemical compound known as an alkaloid.

Important Points

• Quinine was extracted for the first time in 1820 from the bark of a Peruvian cinchona tree.
• Malaria had been handled with bark extracts since at least 1632, and it was brought to Spain by Jesuit missionaries from the New World as early as 1636.
• It is classified as an important medicine by the World Health Organization.
• Chemical formula – C₂₀H₂₄N₂O₂

Additional Information Although quinine is often used to treat restless legs syndrome, it is not recommended because of the possibility of severe side effects.

• Headaches, ringing in the ears, difficulty hearing, and sweating are all common side effects.
• Deafness, low blood platelets, and an irregular pulse are among the more serious side effects.
• Sunburn may be aggravated by use.
• In some parts of the world, Quinine is banned as it can cause life-threatening anemia.

(Quinine plant)