A Review: Pharmacological Activities of Quinoline Alkaloid of Cinchona sp.

Cinchona is a plant used in traditional malaria treatment. This review aims to examine pharmacological activities to increase the benefits and uses of the bioactive compounds found in the bark of the Cinchona trees as medicine and cosmetics. A literature search was conducted through the internet database https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/; https://scholar.google.com/; https://www.sciencedirect.com/; https://www.wiley.com/en-us from 1998-2022. The main phytochemical content of Cinchona bark is quinoline alkaloids (quinine, cinchonidine, cinchonine, and cinchonidine), with total alkaloid concentrations varying between 6 and 15% (Cinchona succirubra ranging from 5-7%, Cinchona calisaya 4-7% and Cinchona ledgeriana 5-14%). Cinchona quinoline alkaloids have the same active site on the nitrogen atom in the quinuclidine ring and the methylene alcohol functional group, which plays an essential role in their pharmacological activity. Besides being used as an antimalarial, Cinchona alkaloids are currently being developed as their anticancer, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antifungal, muscle cramps, hair growth stimulant, antimicrobial, antiobesity, antiplatelet, antiviral, anesthetic, and antipyretic properties. Conclusion: Quinoline alkaloids of Cinchona sp have various pharmacological activities that have the potency to be developed as drugs and cosmetics.