Both species of the cinchona tree are originally endemic to the Andes (Colombia to northern Peru), but are threatened with extinction there by overexploitation. The tree has long been cultivated in Southeast Asia, South Africa and South America. The drug comes mainly from imports from Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Africa.
It is mostly the dried stem and twig bark of 10-12 year old trees that are used for drug production.
Cinchona tree: typical characteristics
The cinchona tree is a forest tree that grows up to 20 m high and bears elliptical, undivided leaves up to 30 cm long. The inconspicuous flowers are up to 2 cm long and light pink.
Cinchona bark is obtained not only from Cinchona pubescens (drug: red cinchona bark), but also from Cinchona officinalis (drug: factory bark or yellow cinchona bark). Today, most of the cultivated trees are vegetatively propagated crosses of the two species.
Bark as a medicine
Components of the drug are the bark pieces, which are about 2-6 mm thick and have a weak tubular curvature. On the outside, the bark pieces are often covered with lichens, and the color is gray to gray-brown. The inside, on the other hand, is more of a reddish-brown color, it is finely longitudinally striped and fibrous.
Cinchona bark gives off a relatively faint, somewhat peculiar odor. The taste of cinchona bark is very bitter.
