Description

Cinchona Bark – (Cinchona officinalis) comes from an evergreen tree of the madder or Rubiaceae family of plants, native to the Andes mountains of South America. Most of its cultivation takes place in Southeast Asia. Cinchona contains a chemical compound, an alkaloid, called quinine*. This chemical had been used prior to the 20th century for cases of malaria before more targeted pharmaceuticals had been developed to treat the disease. Cinchona has a very distinctive bitter flavor and is still used as a flavoring agent for beverages like amaro and tonic water.

*Precautions: The compound quinine may cause extreme adverse reactions in some individuals. Do not use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.