ABSTRACT
The bark of Cinchona trees is the source of quinine, at one time vital for the treatment of malaria, and quinidine, which was used to treat irregularities of heart rhythm. When quinine first became available, malaria was also prevalent in temperate climates including much of Europe. Because of the huge demand for Cinchona bark, and to maintain their monopoly, Peru and surrounding countries started outlawing the export of Cinchona seeds and saplings, beginning in the early 19th century. Quinine is an alkaloid commonly marketed as the sulphate. It was made from Cinchona bark mixed with lime. The bark and lime mixture was extracted with hot paraffin oil, filtered, and shaken with sulphuric acid and neutralised with sodium carbonate. Quinine and more recently the synthetic forms chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have also been used for the treatment of certain autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
