Cinchona officinalis, Cinchona, Lojabark, Quinine, red cinchona, cinchona bark, Jesuits bark

Last updated: February 8, 2026Reviewed date: February 8, 2026Reading time: 10 min read

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Article Summary

Cinchona officinalis commonly known as Cinchona is actually an evergreen tree belonging to Rubiaceae (Madder family). The plant is native to mountainous tropical regions of South America, especially Peru; cinchona is now also grown in India, Java, and parts of Africa, and is cultivated intensively on tree farms. Lojabark, Quinine, red cinchona, cinchona bark, Jesuits bark, loxa bark, Jesuits powder, countess powder, Peruvian bark are some of...

Key Takeaways

This article explains Cinchona Facts in simple medical language.
This article explains Cinchona Scientific Classification in simple medical language.
This article explains Plant Description in simple medical language.
This article explains Health benefits in simple medical language.

Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.

Reviewed content workflowUse writer and reviewer profiles for stronger trust.

Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

Severe symptoms, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness.
New weakness, severe pain, high fever, or symptoms after a serious injury.
Any symptom that feels urgent, unusual, or unsafe for the patient.

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

Cinchona officinalis commonly known as Cinchona is actually an evergreen tree belonging to Rubiaceae (Madder family). The plant is native to mountainous tropical regions of South America, especially Peru; cinchona is now also grown in India, Java, and parts of Africa, and is cultivated intensively on tree farms. Lojabark, Quinine, red cinchona, cinchona bark, Jesuits bark, loxa bark, Jesuits powder, countess powder, Peruvian bark are some of the popular common names of the plant.

The plant is best known as the source of quinine, which for centuries was the most extensively taken antimalarial remedy in the world. It was first documented in Peru by a Jesuit missionary in 1633. As well as being a remedy for malaria, the herb is also used for fevers and digestive problems. Various Cinchona species are used medicinally, including C. calisaya, C. ledgeriana, and C. officinalis. The trees are propagated from cuttings in late spring, and the bark of the trunk, branches, and root are removed from 6- to 8- year-old trees, and then dyed in the sun. The annual production of cinchona bark has been estimated at about 8,000 tons (8,200 tons) a year.

Cinchona Facts

Name	Cinchona
Scientific Name	Cinchona officinalis
Native	Wet montane forests in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia
Common Names	Lojabark, Quinine, red cinchona, cinchona bark, JesuitÕs bark, loxa bark, JesuitÕs powder, countess powder, Peruvian bark
Name in Other Languages	Arabic: Liha’ shajar alkiina (لحاء شجر الكينا) , alkina almukhzania ( الكينا المخزنية) Azerbaijani: Aptek kinə ağacı Bengali: Ku’inina bākala (কুইনিন বাকল), Sinakōnā aphisinālisa (সিনকোনা অফিসিনালিস) Brazilian Portuguese: Quinquina Chinese: Zhèng jī nà shù (正鸡纳树) Czech: Chinovník lékařský Dutch: Quininebast, kinaboom English: Brown Peru bark, China loxa, Crown bark, Jesuits’ bark, Ledger bark, Lojabark, Loxa bark, Quinine Bark tree, Yellow bark, Yellow cinchona, Crown peru-bark, Quinine tree, red cinchona, cinchona bark, Jesuit’s powder, countess powder, Peruvian bark Finnish: Kiinankuori French: Arbre à quinine, Ecorce brune du Pérou, Quinquina gris, Quinquina officinal, Quinquina gris-brun Galician: Quina German: Chinarinde, Chinarindenbaum Greek: Kiníni Kiníni (Kινήνη Kiní̱ni̱), Kinchóni i farmakeftikí (Κιγχόνη η φαρμακευτική) Hindi: Kunīna (कुनीन), Kunīna vr̥kṣa kī chāla (कुनीन वृक्ष की छाल), Sinakōnā āphisinailisa (सिनकोना आफिसिनैलिस ), Sinakōnā bārka (सिनकोना बार्क) Italian: Chinino, Albero di chinina Japanese: Kinahi (キナ皮) Kannada: Barkina Malayalam: Koyina, Sinkona Netherlands: Kinaboom Polish: Chinowiec lekarski Portuguese: Quinquina Quechua: Kinakina Russian: Tsinkhona lekarstvennaya (Цинхона лекарственная), Khinnoye derevo (Хинное дерево) Sanskrit: Sinkona, Kunayanah, Kunayaka Spanish: Kina-kina (Peru), Qinchona, Uritusinga, quina, cascarilla, cargua cargua, corteza coja Swedish: Kinaträd, Kinin Tamil: Ciṅkōṉā (சிங்கோனா), Oruvita maruntucceṭi (ஒருவித மருந்துச்செடி), Koyiṉā (கொயினா), Koyiṉāmarappaṭṭai (கொயினாமரப்பட்டை), Koyiṉācceṭi (கொயினாச்செடி) Telegu: Jvarapatta Turkish: Kınakına ağacı, Kınakına Ukrainian: Khinne derevo (Хінне дерево) Urdu: Kanakana Vietnamese: Canhkina xám, Vỏ canh ki na, Vỏ cây Peru
Plant Growth Habit	Evergreen shrub or small tree
Soil	Requires a well-drained, moist soil and a position in full sun or partial shade
Plant Size	About 6 – 20 m tall
Bark	Reddish
Stipules	Lanceolate or oblong, acute or obtuse, glabrous
Leaf	Lanceolate to elliptic or ovate, usually about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long and 3.5–4 centimetres (1.4–1.6 in) wide
Flower	Tubular flowers are small and usually creamy white or rose in color. The flowers are borne in terminal clusters, and the petals have characteristically hairy margins. The lobes are ovate, acute and corolla tube is about 1 cm long
Fruit Shape & Size	Oblong capsule, 1.5–2 cm. long, ovoid to cylindrical or ellipsoid, septicidally dehiscent into 2 valves from base or sometimes from apex with valves then loculicidal through septum
Seed	Numerous, medium-sized, ellipsoid to fusiform and somewhat flattened with membranous marginal wing and elliptic central seed portion
Taste	Bitter
Plant Parts Used	Bark
Available Forms	Tablets, liquid extracts, tinctures and powders
Culinary Uses	Quinine, extracted from the bark of the tree, is used as a bitter flavoring in tonic water and carbonated drinks.
Other Facts	Alkaloid quinine extracted from the bark is used in hair oils and shampoo, sun-tan oil, insecticides, and as a vulcanizing agent.

Cinchona Scientific Classification

Scientific Name: Cinchona officinalis

Rank	Scientific Name & (Common Name)
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
Infrakingdom	Streptophyta (land plants)
Super Division	Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
Division	Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
Sub Division	Spermatophytina (spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
Sub Class	Asteridae
Super Order	Asteranae
Order	Rubiales
Family	Rubiaceae (Madder family)
Genus	Cinchona L. (cinchona)
Species	Cinchona officinalis L. (quinine)
Synonyms	Cascarilla officinalis (L.) Ruiz Cinchona academica Guibourt Cinchona calisaya var. josephiana Wedd. Cinchona chahuarguera Pav. Cinchona chahuraguera Pav. Cinchona chahuraguera Pav. ex DC. Cinchona coccinea Pav. ex DC. Cinchona colorata Lambert Cinchona condaminea Humb. & Bonpl. Cinchona condaminea var. chahuarguera Pav. Cinchona condaminea var. chahuarguera Pav. ex DC. Cinchona condaminea var. chahuraguera DC. Cinchona condaminea var. lanceolata Wedd. Cinchona condaminea var. vera Wedd Cinchona crispa Tafalla Cinchona crispa Tafalla ex Howard Cinchona cucumifolia Pav. Cinchona cucumifolia Pav. ex Lamb. Cinchona josephiana (Wedd.) Wedd. Cinchona lancifolia var. lanceolata Schult. Cinchona legitima Ruiz Cinchona legitima Ruiz ex Lamb. Cinchona legitima Ruiz ex Laubert Cinchona lucumifolia var. stupea Wedd. Cinchona macrocalyx var. obtusifolia DC. Cinchona macrocalyx var. uritusinga DC. Cinchona obtusifolia Pav. ex DC. Cinchona officinalis var. bonplandianacolorata Howard Cinchona officinalis var. bonplandianalutea Howard Cinchona officinalis var. condaminea (Humb. & Bonpl.) Howard Cinchona officinalis var. crispa (Tafalla ex Howard) Howard Cinchona officinalis var. josephiana (Wedd.) Cárdenas Cinchona officinalis var. uritusinga (Pav. ex Howard) Howard Cinchona officinalis var. vera Cárdenas Cinchona palton Pav. Cinchona peruviana Mutis Cinchona stupea Pav. Cinchona stupea Pav. ex Lamb. Cinchona subcordata Pav. ex Howard Cinchona suberosa Pav. Cinchona suberosa Pav. ex Howard Cinchona uritusinga Pav. Cinchona uritusinga Pav. ex DC. Cinchona uritusinga Pav. ex Howard Cinchona vritusino Pav. Cinchona vritusino Pav. ex DC. Hindsia subandina Krause Quinquina officinalis (L.) Kuntze Quinquina palton (Pav.) Kuntze

Plant Description

Cinchona is an evergreen shrub or small tree that normally grows about 6 – 20 m tall. The plant requires a well-drained, moist soil and a position in full sun or partial shade. The plant has reddish bark and stipules are lanceolate or oblong, acute or obtuse and glabrous. Leaves are lanceolate to elliptic or ovate, usually about 10 centimeter (3.9 in) long and 3.5–4 centimeter (1.4–1.6 in) wide; acute, acuminate, or obtuse tip. Base is rounded to attenuate; coriaceous, glabrous above and often lustrous; glabrous beneath or puberulent or short-pilose, especially on the veins.

Flowers and fruits

The tubular flowers are small and usually creamy white or rose in color. The flowers are borne in terminal clusters, and the petals have characteristically hairy margins. The lobes are ovate, acute and corolla tube is about 1 cm long. Fertile flowers are followed by oblong capsule, 1.5–2 cm. long, ovoid to cylindrical or ellipsoid, septicidally dehiscent into 2 valves from base or sometimes from apex with valves then loculicidal through septum, stiffly papery to woody, often lenticellate, with calyx limb persistent. Seeds are numerous, medium-sized, ellipsoid to fusiform and somewhat flattened with membranous marginal wing and elliptic central seed portion.

Health benefits

Cinchona is both strongly antimalarial and antibacterial. Like the other alkaloids, it is antispasmodic. The bitter constituents in cinchona, including the alkaloids and quinovin, produce a reflex stimulation of the digestion as a whole, increasing stomach secretions. It is known to reduce heart rate and improve irregularity of heartbeat. The indigenous people of Peru have taken cinchona for many centuries, and it is still a well- used remedy for fevers, digestive problems, and infections. It is also used to treat other acute feverish conditions.

As a bitter tonic, cinchona stimulates saliva, digestive secretions, and the appetite, and improves weak digestive function. Apart from that Cinchona is useful as a gargle for sore, infected throats. The herb is used in herbal medicine for cramps, especially night cramps. It also relieves pain, swelling, stiffness, or reduced movement. সহজ বাংলা: জয়েন্টের প্রদাহ।" data-rx-term="arthritis" data-rx-definition="Arthritis means joint inflammation causing pain, swelling, stiffness, or reduced movement. সহজ বাংলা: জয়েন্টের প্রদাহ।">arthritis. Indian remedy In India, cinchona is used to treat sciatica and dysentery, as well as problems associated with kapha.

Traditional uses and benefits of Cinchona

It has long been used by native people in the treatment of fever and malaria.
Bark is also used in the treatment of neuralgia, muscle cramps and cardiac fibrillation.
Modern research has shown it to be a very effective treatment for fevers, and especially as a treatment and preventative of malaria.
Bark is a bitter, astringent, tonic herb that lowers fevers, relaxes spasms, is antimalarial (the alkaloid quinine) and slows the heart (the alkaloid quinidine).
Bark is used internally in the treatment of malaria, neuralgia, muscle cramps and cardiac fibrillation.
It is an ingredient in various proprietary cold and influenza remedies.
The liquid extract is useful as a cure for drunkenness.
It is also used as a gargle to treat sore throats.

Dosage and Administration

Traditional way of preparing the medicine was to grind the dried bark into a powder, prepare a decoction (boiling the powder) and then either drinking as a bitter tea or mixing with wine or other alcohol.

There are suggested dosages given in several herbalist reference books. It should be stressed that the alkaloids contained in cinchona bark are powerful drugs and thus no one should self-administer a cinchona decoction without consulting a medical doctor.

Tonic water, which consists of a much lower concentration of quinine than what is recommended for malaria treatment, is considered safe.

Precautions

Care must be taken in the use of this herb since excess can cause a number of side effects including cinchonism, pain in the head or upper neck. সহজ বাংলা: মাথাব্যথা।" data-rx-term="headache" data-rx-definition="Headache means pain in the head or upper neck. সহজ বাংলা: মাথাব্যথা।">headache, rash, abdominal pain, deafness and blindness.
The herb, especially in the form of the extracted alkaloid quinine, is subject to legal restrictions in some countries.
Large and too constant doses must be avoided, as they produce pain in the head or upper neck. সহজ বাংলা: মাথাব্যথা।" data-rx-term="headache" data-rx-definition="Headache means pain in the head or upper neck. সহজ বাংলা: মাথাব্যথা।">headache, giddiness and deafness.

References

Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Start with a registered doctor or the nearest qualified health center.

What to tell the doctor

Write when the problem started and how it changed.
Bring old prescriptions, investigation reports, and current medicines.
Write allergies, pregnancy status, diabetes, kidney/liver disease, and major past illnesses.
Bring one family member if the patient is weak, elderly, confused, or a child.

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which danger signs mean I should go to hospital quickly?
Which tests are necessary now, and which can wait?
How should I take medicines safely and what side effects should I watch for?
When should I come for follow-up?

Tests to discuss

Vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation
Basic physical examination by a clinician
CBC, urine test, blood sugar, or imaging only when clinically needed

Avoid these mistakes

Do not use antibiotics, steroid tablets/injections, or strong painkillers without proper medical advice.
Do not hide pregnancy, kidney disease, ulcer, allergy, or blood thinner use.
Do not delay emergency care when danger signs are present.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

Avoid heavy lifting, sudden bending, and prolonged bed rest.
Use comfortable posture and gentle movement as tolerated.
Discuss physiotherapy, X-ray, or MRI only when clinically needed.

OTC medicine safety

For mild back pain, pain-relief medicine may be discussed with a doctor or pharmacist.
Avoid repeated painkiller use if you have kidney disease, stomach ulcer, uncontrolled blood pressure, or are taking blood thinners.

Avoid these mistakes

Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

Back pain with leg weakness, numbness around private area, loss of urine/stool control, fever, cancer history, or major injury needs urgent care.

Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Orthopedic / spine specialist, physical medicine doctor, or qualified clinician

Tests to discuss with doctor

Neurological examination for leg power, sensation, reflexes, and straight leg raise
X-ray only if injury, deformity, long-lasting pain, or doctor suspects bone problem
MRI discussion if severe nerve symptoms, weakness, bladder/bowel problem, or persistent symptoms

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
Which tests are really needed now?
Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?
Is physiotherapy, posture correction, or activity modification needed?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Go to emergency care if you notice:

Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
Breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, severe weakness, major injury, or severe dehydration

Doctor / service to discuss: Qualified healthcare provider; specialist depends on symptoms and examination.

Step 1
Check danger signs first
If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.
Step 2
Record the symptom story
Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.
Step 3
Visit a qualified clinician
A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.
Step 4
Do only useful tests
Do tests after clinical assessment. Avoid unnecessary tests, random antibiotics, or repeated medicines without diagnosis.
Step 5
Follow up and return early if worse
If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips

Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

RX Patient Help

Ask a health question safely

Write your symptom story. A health professional or site editor can review it before any answer is prepared. This box is not for emergency care.

Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.