Lojabark

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Lojabark
• Quinine Bark

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cinchona officinalis var. condaminea
• Cinchona cucumifolia
• Cinchona legitima
• Quinquina officinalis
• Cinchona officinalis var. vera
• Quinquina palton
• Myroxylon trialatum
• Cinchona palton
• Cinchona macrocalyx var. obtusifolia
• Cinchona macrocalyx var. uritusinga
• Cinchona officinalis var. bonplandianacolorata
• Cinchona officinalis var. bonplandianalutea
• Cinchona officinalis var. crispa
• Cinchona officinalis var. uritusinga
• Cinchona stupea
• Cinchona subcordata
• Cinchona suberosa
• Cinchona uritusinga
• Cinchona condaminea var. chahuraguera
• Cinchona condaminea
• Cinchona chahuraguera
• Cinchona crispa
• Cinchona academica
• Cinchona lancifolia var. lanceolata
• Cinchona lucumifolia var. stupea

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Cinchona officinalis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Gentianales and the family Rubiaceae. Finally, it is situated within the genus Cinchona.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several continents and oceanic regions. In Western South America, it is notably found growing in Colombia. Its presence extends to the Caribbean islands, specifically within Jamaica and Puerto Rico. Moving across the ocean, the species can also be located in St. Helena in the Middle Atlantic. Finally, its range reaches West Tropical Africa, where it is documented in Guinea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Cinchona officinalis is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring its longevity and ability to persist in its natural habitat over many years. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds are elevated well above the ground level, a trait that defines its structural growth pattern and survival strategy. This species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year, providing constant photosynthetic activity. Furthermore, its classification as a phanerophyte is consistent across its morphological development, reinforcing its life form as a woody plant that thrives through long-term seasonal cycles.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cinchona officinalis is characterized by its growth form, which can manifest as either a shrub or a tree, reaching a maximum plant height of approximately 8 m. As a woody species, it possesses a robust structure that is entirely self-supporting, rather than acting as a climber or liana. The plant is strictly terrestrial in its habitat, lacking any aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies, such as being a holoepiphyte or hemiepiphyte. Furthermore, it functions as an independent organism, showing no parasitic behavior toward other plants.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

8 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cinchona officinalis is characterized by its metabolic processes geared toward the synthesis of complex indole alkaloids, most notably quinine, which are produced within the bark tissues as secondary metabolites. As a perennial evergreen shrub, its physiological activity is heavily influenced by its adaptation to high-altitude tropical montane environments, where it manages gas exchange and moisture retention through specialized leaf structures. The plant undergoes photosynthesis to drive its carbon fixation, utilizing sunlight to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic compounds that fuel its growth and the biosynthesis of defensive alkaloids. Regarding its nutrient acquisition, Cinchona officinalis is not a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Rhizobium, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system. Its transpiration rates and metabolic vigor are closely tied to soil acidity and consistent moisture availability, which are critical for maintaining the physiological equilibrium necessary for alkaloid accumulation.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cinchona officinalis is primarily achieved through the production of small, lightweight seeds contained within its floral structures. The reproductive output is characterized by highly consistent seed dimensions, with the seed mass exhibiting no variability across recorded samples. Specifically, the seed mass is measured at a constant value of 0.00042 g, representing both the mean, minimum, and maximum mass (0.00042 g). This uniformity in seed mass suggests a highly stabilized reproductive strategy for the species, ensuring that each individual seed carries a specific, predictable nutrient load to support early germination.

Seed mass mean:

0.00042 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cinchona officinalis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem.

Stem

1. Planta medica

Chemicals

Cinchona officinalis has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Quinine, cinchonine, 3-alpha,17-beta-Cinchophylline, 3-beta,17-beta-Cinchophylline, Avicularin.

Quinine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biologia

cinchonine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biologia

3-alpha,17-beta-Cinchophylline

1. Dr. Duke

3-beta,17-beta-Cinchophylline

1. Dr. Duke

Avicularin

1. Dr. Duke

CINCHONIDINE

1. Dr. Duke

Tannin

1. Dr. Duke

hydroquinidine

1. Dr. Duke

quinidine

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Cinchona officinalis has 81 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antiviral, Abortifacient, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of dietary supplements

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta biologica Hungarica

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of dietary supplements

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Amebicide

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Anesthetic

1. Dr. Duke

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Cinchona officinalis has 5 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, central nervous system disorders, infectious disease, urinary tract infections.

Covid-19

1. Biologia

Sars-cov-2

1. Biologia

Central nervous system disorders

1. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Infectious disease

1. Journal of dietary supplements

Urinary tract infections

1. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)

Preparations

Cinchona officinalis has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous-methanolic extract (1:1; v/v).

Aqueous-methanolic extract (1:1; v/v)

1. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences