Cinchona calisaya
Cinchona calisaya, commonly known as the Philippine Cinchona, is a vital medicinal plant native to the Philippines. Renowned for its bark, which contains potent alkaloids like quinine, it has historically been essential in treating malaria. This species serves as a cornerstone in botanical research and traditional pharmaceutical applications worldwide.
- Scientific name: Cinchona calisaya
- Family: Rubiaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Cinchona calisaya, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Gentianales. Finally, it is a member of the family Rubiaceae and the genus Cinchona.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Gentianales | WCVP |
| Family | Rubiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cinchona | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Cinchona calisaya, is referred to by several different common names depending on the linguistic context. In Chinese, it is commonly known as 狭叶金鸡纳, 金鸡纳树, 黄金鸡纳, 金鸡纳树（黄色金纳）, and simply 金鸡纳.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 狭叶金鸡纳 | Wikidata |
| zh | 金鸡纳树 | Wikidata |
| zh | 黄金鸡纳 | Wikidata |
| zh | 金鸡纳树（黄色金纳） | Wikidata |
| zh | 金鸡纳 | Wikidata |
| zh | 金鸡勒 | Wikidata |
| it | Chinino | Wikidata |
| it | Albero della china | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a widespread and diverse geographical distribution spanning several continents. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found in the Gulf of Guinea Islands as well as throughout the DR Congo. Its presence extends to the Indian Subcontinent, specifically within the nation of India. Furthermore, it is located in the Northwestern Pacific region among the Caroline Islands. Finally, its range reaches into Central America, where it is documented in Guatemala.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gulf of Guinea Is. | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Northwestern Pacific | Caroline Is. | WCVP |
| Central America | Guatemala | WCVP |
| Western South America | Bolivia | WCVP |
| Western South America | Peru | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Cinchona calisaya, is a significant medicinal species where the most valuable component is its bark. The bark is harvested from the stem and contains high concentrations of alkaloids, most notably quinine, which are used for their potent antimalarial properties. Through careful extraction processes, this bark serves as the primary source for producing essential pharmaceutical compounds used in global healthcare.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Cinchona calisaya has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Cinchonine, quinine.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cinchonine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| quinine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Cinchona calisaya has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimalarial, Antimicrobial.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimalarial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Cinchona calisaya has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include malaria.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| malaria | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |