What Plant Does Quinine Come From?
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Use
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Although quinine originally was manufactured to treat malaria, forms of the drug now are used to treat lupus, leg cramps that occur at night, or arthritis. Sold commercially as Qualaquin, the medication is used only to treat conditions, not prevent them.
The Cinchona Tree
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Quinine originally was made from the Cinchona tree (Cinchona pubescens). When obtained from the Cinchona tree, quinine is a white, salt-like powder. While the tree is native to South American countries such as Costa Rica, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia, it was brought to Europe by Jesuit priests who had lived among the Quechua Indians of Peru. The Quechua used it as a muscle relaxant. Quinine was discovered in the 1600s as an anti-malarial agent when mixing the ground bark of cinchona trees, sweetener and water. (Ironically, this is a similar mixture as that of tonic water, often used in mixed drinks.)
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Synthetic Manufacturing
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While quinine is most effective when obtained from Cinchona tree bark, quinine also can be synthetically produced. Whether in natural form or synthetic, quinine can have serious side effects that occur in almost all patients taking it. These include headache, ringing in the ears, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, abdominal pain or sweating. These symptoms typically disappear when you stop taking quinine.
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