Spectrum of biological properties of cinchona alkaloids: A brief review

Abstract

Cinchona which belongs to family Rubiaceae, got its importance from the centuries because of its anti-malarial activity. Alkaloids present in this herb, Quinine, Chichonine, Quinidine and Cinchonidine are the main, but percentage may vary in species to species. Since the early 17th century, these alkaloid are frequently used in Indian ayurvedic, sidha and traditional folk medicine to treating fever and Still now in modern medicine cinchona alkaloids are used for the treatment of malaria as well as for other diseases and became the well-known drug after the treatment of malaria caused by Plasmodium Sp. Literature study revealed that along with the antimalarial activity the cinchona alkaloids has other potentiality like anti-obesity, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial activity. These article reviews the biological activities of cinchona alkaloids along with its toxic effect.