Cinchona tree (Kina - Quina) - Cinchona officinalis

Cinchona, also known as quina, is the collective name for the genus Cinchona, which consists of approximately 38 species in the Rubiaceae family. These trees and shrubs originate from the tropical mountain forests of the Andes in Western South America. Cinchona is primarily known for its medicinal significance: the bark contains quinine and other alkaloids that have traditionally been used in the treatment of malaria.

The species occur naturally in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, among others, and some related species also in Costa Rica and Panama. They grow primarily in humid, mountainous areas. Various species and hybrids are currently cultivated in tropical regions for the production of quinine and other valuable substances.

The origin of the name quina is not entirely certain. It is likely derived from the Quechua word kina kina, which translates as ‘bark of barks’ and refers to the medicinal bark of the tree.

The botanical name Cinchona also has a remarkable history. According to a well-known, but later doubted, story, the Countess of Chinchón, the wife of the Spanish Viceroy of Peru, was cured of malaria in 1639 with a remedy containing cinchona bark extract. This story prompted the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus to name the genus Cinchona. However, the Countess's diaries, which were examined in 1930, did not reveal that she had actually suffered from malaria. It is therefore possible that the cure story was later embellished and contributed to the fame and commercial distribution of cinchona bark.

In Spanish, various folk names for cinchona are in use, including cascarilla, costrona, crespilla, hoja de capulí, hoja de lucma, and quina. Moreover, cinchona holds an important symbolic place in Peru. The cinchona tree is depicted on the national coat of arms of Peru, where the tree appears in the top right section. The quina, as the tree is called in Quechua, symbolizes the country's rich nature and plant life there.

Ingredients:

Name: Cinchona Tree Bark Cut.

Latin name: Cinchona officinalis Cort. Flavum conc.

Shape: Cut.

Storage: Store in a cool, dry, and dark place.

Available in: 50 g, 100 g, 250 g

Order code: EG001854, EG001855, EG001856.

EAN-13: 8720514828533, 8720514828540, 8720514828557.

Usage: 1 to 2 grams per cup, pour boiling water over, 5 to 10 minutes, let steep covered.

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