CINCHONA BLUMENBACHII Meaning and
Definition
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Cinchona Blumenbachii, commonly known as Blumenbach's cinchona or Blumenbach's bark, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the Rubiaceae family. It is native to the countries of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru in South America. Cinchona Blumenbachii is particularly notable for its bark, which contains numerous alkaloids, including quinine, that have medicinal properties.
The tree of Cinchona Blumenbachii, reaching heights of around 15 meters, has a smooth, grayish-brown bark with elliptic-shaped leaves. The flowers are small and white, grouped in clusters, and give way to small, round fruits. However, it is primarily the bark of this species that is of interest.
The bark of Cinchona Blumenbachii has historically been highly valued for its antimalarial properties. The alkaloid quinine found in the bark is effective in treating and preventing malaria, a tropical disease transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Quinine acts by interfering with the replication of the malaria parasite in the human body.
Due to its therapeutic value, Cinchona Blumenbachii has been extensively cultivated in plantations and introduced to other regions of the world with similar climates, including India and various African nations. The bark is harvested by cutting it from the tree trunk, dried, and processed to extract the valuable quinine alkaloid.
Today, the use of Cinchona Blumenbachii is not limited to its antimalarial properties. Quinine derived from this plant species is also used in the production of tonic water, which is mixed with gin to create the classic cocktail, gin and tonic. Moreover, research is being conducted to uncover other potential medicinal uses for the various alkaloids present in the
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Red bark, cinchonae rubrae cortex, the dried bark of C. succirubra (more often probably C. robusta), yielding not less than 5 per cent. of anhydrous cinchona alkaloids; this is the only official cinchona of the B.P. Cinchona is an antiperiodic and bitter tonic in doses of gr. 10-30 (0.6-2.0) in decoction.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for CINCHONA BLUMENBACHII
- cinchoenablumenbachii
- cinnchonablumenbachii
- c inchona blumenbachii
- ci nchona blumenbachii
- cin chona blumenbachii
- cinc hona blumenbachii
- cinch ona blumenbachii
- cincho na blumenbachii
- cinchon a blumenbachii
- cinchona b lumenbachii
- cinchona bl umenbachii
- cinchona blu menbachii
- cinchona blum enbachii
- cinchona blume nbachii
- cinchona blumen bachii
- cinchona blumenb achii
- cinchona blumenba chii
- cinchona blumenbac hii
- cinchona blumenbach ii
- cinchona blumenbachi i
Etymology of CINCHONA BLUMENBACHII
The word "cinchona" comes from the name of a countess named Ana de Osorio y Ursua, the wife of a viceroy of Peru, who is also known as the Countess of Chinchón. During the 17th century, she reportedly contracted malaria and was successfully treated with a medication derived from the bark of a tree, which is now known as the cinchona tree. The scientific name "Cinchona" was given to the genus of trees in her honor.
The term "Blumenbachii" is the Latinized form of the name of a German physician, naturalist, and anthropologist named Johann Friedrich Blumenbach. He contributed significantly to the field of anthropology and widely studied the classification and description of species. The addition of "Blumenbachii" to the name "cinchona" is a way of acknowledging his contribution to the study of natural history and taxonomy.
