What is Quinine?
Quinine is an alkaloid, a naturally occurring chemical compound. It is most commonly extracted from the bark of Cinchona trees. [1]
Quinine Usage in Food
Quinine is found in tonic water as a flavoring to give it it's bitter taste. [1]
Other Usages of Quinine
Quinine has been used as a medication to treat malaria since at least 1632. [1]
Side effects of Quinine
Common side effects include headache, ringing in the ears, trouble seeing, and sweating. More severe side effects include deafness, low blood platelets, and an irregular heartbeat. Use can make one more prone to sunburn. [1]
Quinine was first isolated in 1820 from the bark of a cinchona tree. [1]
According to tradition, the bitter taste of anti-malarial quinine tonic led British colonials in India to mix it with gin, thus creating the iconic gin and tonic cocktail, which is still popular today. [1]
Source(s) Derived From |
Plant Sources Natural Quinine Naturally found as an alkoloid compound extracted from the bark of Cinchona trees. [1] Synthetic Quinine A formal chemical synthesis was accomplished in 1944 by American chemists R.B. Woodward and W.E. Doering. [1] Even though synthetic forms exist, Cinchona trees remain the only economically practical source of quinine. [1] |
Natural or Artificial? |
Natural |
References |
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Aliases (Also Known As) |
None found |
| Action | User | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient added | UPC Food Search | May 10, 2019 @ 4:45 PM |
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