Quinine
Cinchona officinalis, C. calisaya and
C. pubescens (also known as C. succirubra)
Herb monograph
http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/mom/quinine/Quinine.htm
Molescules of the Month, UK
Quinine
Quinine may be familiar to you if you drink gin and tonic or perhaps vodka and tonic. This is because quinine is in the tonic and gives it that bitter taste. It is a white powder that is obtained from the bark of the cinchona tree that is found in the Andes mountain range of Ecuador and Peru.
Malaria has been around ever since records began about 6000 years ago. Malaria is caused by a parasite plasmodium vivax, which is carried by mosquitoes in tropical climates. It causes severe fevers that go through cycles of 48 to 72 hours, passing through hot and cold phases.
In 1957 the countries of the world set forth to eradicate the malarial parasite from the Earth. In 1974 it failed after there was a realisation that the parasite was too widespread and integrated into the human system. It did help to improve public malaria awareness though and efforts are used to control the disease rather than to eradicate it.
Quinine is excellent at reducing fevers and so it became the first and only, until the synthesis of other drugs, anti-malarial drug brought to Europe by the Jesuits. However these new synthesised drugs were preferred to the bark of the cinchona tree. New drugs included Chloroquine and Mefloquine (Larium). Mefloquine caused serious side effects and the parasite started to gain resistance to these drugs.
2
http://sres.anu.edu.au/associated/fpt/nwfp/quinine/Quinine.html
Australian National University,
Quinine.
Quinine has many uses and applications.
Analgesic, anesthetic, antiarrhythmic, antibacterial, antimalarial, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antipyretic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, astringent, bactericide, cytotoxic, febrifuge, fungicide, insecticide, nervine, stomachic, tonic.
Plant chemicals include:
Aricine, caffeic acid, cinchofulvic acid, cincholic acid, cinchonain, cinchonidine, cinchonine, cinchophyllamine, cinchotannic acid, cinchotine, conquinamine, cuscamidine, cuscamine, cusconidine, cusconine, epicatechin, javanine, paricine, proanthocyanidins, quinacimine, quinamine, quinic acid, quinicine, quinine, quininidine, quinovic acid, quinovin, sucirubine.
When used in the suppression of malaria, the usual dosage range is 300 to 600mg of quinine daily. For the treatment of malaria, the dosage range is 1.2 to 2.0g daily, in divided doses (Medicines Commission, 1980a; Medicines Commission, 1980b).
Excessive doses of quinine can lead to "cinchoism", which is characterised by ringing in the ears, temporary deafness, blurred vision, nausea and abdominal upset. In severe cases, it may even lead to circulatory collaspe, kidney failure and coma (Upfal, 1991).
Quinine (and other drugs such as chloroquine) are effective in combating malaria because they are able to bind strongly to blood proteins, and form complexes which are toxic to the malarial parasite.
Cinchona is a genus of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs, with rather large laurel-like, entire, opposite leaves, and white or pink fragrant flowers arranged in clusters. It belongs to the family Rubiaceae, which also includes other members like Coffee and Gardenia. Not all species of Cinchona can be used to produce quinine, in fact, many contain virtually no quinine at all. The most important and useful species are Cinchona officinalis, C. calisaya and C. pubescens (also known as C. succirubra).
Malaria comes from the Italian words "mala" (bad) and "aria" (air).
Worldwide, over 200 million people are infected with malaria, and at least one million die from the disease each year (Campbell,1993). Malaria is characterised by attacks of fever, chills, nausea and vomiting. Fever may be very high, over 40° C and is usually accompanied by severe headache, mild delirium and gastric pains.
Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite.
There are different strains of malarial parasites, and these vary in their severity of attack. One of the most deadly strains is Plasmodium falciparum. The Plasmodium parasite has a highly specialised and intricate life cycle, which involves both sexual and asexual stages, and so requires different hosts for completion. The asexual stage occurs in humans, whilst the asexual stage occurs in mosquitoes (Campbell, 1993).
3
http://www.rain-tree.com/quinine.htm
Raintree Tropical Plant Database,
Quinine.
The cardiac effects of cinchona bark were noted in academic medicine at the end of the 17th century. Quinine was used sporadically through the first half of the 18th century for cardiac problems and arrhythmia and it became a standard of cardiac therapy in the second half of the 19th century.
Another alkaloid chemical called quinidine was discovered to be responsible for this beneficial cardiac effect. Quinidine, a compound produced from quinine, is still used in cardiology today, sold as a prescription drug for arrhythmia. The sales demand for this drug still generates the need for harvesting natural quinine bark today because scientists have been unsuccessful in synthesizing this chemical without utilizing the natural quinine found in cinchona bark.
In Brazilian herbal medicine quinine bark is considered tonic, stomachic, and febrifuge. It is used for anemia, indigestion, gastrointestinal disorders, general fatigue, fevers, malaria and as an appetite stimulant. Other folk remedies in South America cite quinine bark as a natural remedy for cancer (breast, glands, liver, mesentery, spleen), amoebiasis, cardidtis, colds, diarrhea, dysentery, dyspepsia, fevers, flu, hangover, lumbago, malaria, neuralgia, pneumonia, sciatica, typhoid, and varicose veins.
In European herbal medicine the bark is considered antiprotozoal, antispasmodic, antimalarial, a bitter tonic, and febrifuge. There it is used as an appetite stimulant, for hair loss, alcoholism, liver, spleen, and gallbladder disorders; and to treat arrhythmia, anemia, leg cramps, and fevers of all kinds.
In the U.S., quinine bark is used as a tonic and digestive aid; to reduce heart palpitations and normalize heart functions; to stimulate digestion and appetite; for hemorrhoids, varicose veins, headaches, leg cramps, colds, flu, and indigestion; and for its astringent, bactericidal, and anesthetic actions in various other conditions.
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http://www.angelfire.com/mb2/quinine/allergy.html
Hahnemann's Allergy to Quinine
by Dr. William E. Thomas, M.D.
The first idea of the fundamental doctrine of homeopathy - Similia Similibus Curentur - seems to have entered Hahnemann's mind in the year 1790, the forty-fifth year of his life, while he was engaged in translating Cullen's 'Materia Medica' into German. ...
The most common adverse reaction to Cinchona alkaloids (quinine and quinidine) in Australia[6] from November 1972 to March 1988 were thrombocytopenia, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, skin rash, fever, rigors, disturbed liver function, arrhythmia, hypotension, arthralgia, and deaths.
The toxic effects of quinine are tinnitus, vertigo, visual impairment, rashes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, hypotension, convulsions, respiratory depression, cardiac irregularities, weakness, drop in blood pressure, and kidney failure with anuria.
The vivid description of symptoms which Hahnemann experienced and described in 1790 after 'four drams of good China', is an excellent report of a hypersensivity state to quinine. Hahnemann's four drams of good China is fifteen grams of Cinchona bark powder, which contains between 400 to 500 milligrams of quinine. This represents the therapeutic or suppressive dose of quinine, a dose, which has been taken by millions of people in the past one hundred and fifty years with minimal, or no side effects.
What did Hahnemann experience in 1790 after ingesting four drams of Cinchona bark approximately 0.447 grams of quinine? He felt languid and drowsy, which corresponds to hypotension. He noticed palpitations, signifying cardiac irregularity, most probably ventricular tachycardia. Pulsation in the head is a good description of headache, as is redness in cheeks of a rash. Prostration through limbs signifies weakness. We all feel thirst when we are feverish, so did Hahnemann. Cold fingers and feet with trembling are typical of any allergic reaction. Hahnemann's 'disagreeable sensation' means that he felt generally unwell.
It can be concluded that Hahnemann suffered from hypersensitivity to quinine. This means that the fundamental doctrine of homeopathy - Similia Similibus Curentur - is based on a pathological condition of its founder, Dr.Samuel Hahnemann, an allergy to quinine.
In view of what has been said, the following homeopathic statement: 'Cinchona bark was to Hahnemann what the falling apple was to Newton and the swinging lamp to Galileo'[7], brings a new light to the whole teaching of homeopathy.
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http://flavoursofindia.tripod.com/grapefruit.html
Grapefruit
Vegetarian Wonders
Acidity
Inspite of its often sharp, sub-acid taste, the fresh grapefruit has an alkaline reaction after digestion. The citric acid of the fruit is oxidized in the human system and hence the effect is to increase the alkalinity of the fluids of the body. Its juice is beneficial in the prevention and treatment of acidity and many diseases caused by too much acid in the system.
Digestive Disorders
The fruit is valuable in relieving constipation.
It is beneficial in maintaining the helath of intestines and is regarded as a preventive food item against dysentery, diarrhoea, enteritis, typhus and other infective diseases of the digestive tract. Grapefruit is a splendid thing in the food of diabetic patient. If grapefruits were eaten more liberally, there would be much less diabetes. If you have sugar, use three grapefruits three times a day. If you do not have sugar, but a tendency towards it and want to prevent it, use three a day. Decrease starches, sweets and fats. Eat mostly fruits and vegetables and juices. In two weeks this will eliminate sugar when not taking insulin. When taking insulin, it takes longer.
Influenza
The juice of grapefruit is an excellent remedy for influenza as it helps to reduce acidity in the system and its bitter properties arising from a substance called 'maringin', tones up the system and the digestive tract.
Fever
The juice of grapefruit is also an excellent diet in all fevers. It quenches thirst and removes the burning sensation produced by the fever. It should be taken mixed with water.
Malaria
The grapefruit contains a natural 'quinine' and hence is valuable in the treatment of malaria. This 'quinine' is also beneficial in the feverish colds. It can be extracted from the fruits by boiling a quarter of a grapefruit and straining the pulp.
Fatigue
The grapefruit is beneficial in the treatment of fatigue. Taking a glass of grapefruit and lemon juice in equal parts is an excellent way of dispelling fatigue and general tiredness after a day's work.
Scanty Urination
The juice of grapefruit is extremely rich in vitamin C and potassium. It can, therefore, be beneficially used as a medicine in scanty urination caused by liver, kidney and heart disorders.
NOTE 1: as we become older, we frequently produce a lesser quantity of acid in our stomachs. This can lead to incomplete digestion. Most instances of heartburn and burping are the result of too much gas being produced in the stomach by too LITTLE acid resulting in incomplete digestion. Grapefruit, and other alkalizing foods are best to be limited in the diets of such individuals.
NOTE 2: Tonic water has quinine added to it to give it a bitter taste.
From a health standpoint, it also, unfortunately, usually has a large amount of glucose and sugar added, which diminishes any potential health benefits. To reduce the degree of bitter taste in tonic water or grapefruit, add a little salt.
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