Question

Antimalarial drug quinine is obtained from
A. Bark in cinchona
B. Root of cycas
C. Stem of mango
D. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasite plasmodium, which is transmitted to humans by the biter of various species of mosquitoes. A parasite cannot individually complete its life cycle and nutrition demands and requires an organism for nutrition dependency called as host.

Complete answer:
Let us first know more about malaria before we find the correct answer. Malaria is a disease which is spread by mosquitoes. There are different causes of malaria,
-It can be transmitted via blood transfusion
-By sharing needles and syringes
-From infected mother to the baby during birth
-Bitten by mosquito - Anopheles stephensi
-Organ transplantation

Antimalarial drug quinine is formed from bark of cinchona. The treatment of malaria with quinine marked the first successful use of a chemical in combating an infectious disease. Quinine was first synthesized in 1994. However, synthesis of drug and commercial scale is not feasible.

Quinine is an alkaloid which acts by interfering with growth and reproduction of malarial parasites which inhibit erythrocytes (red blood cells). When quinine treatment is terminated, many recovered patients experience another attack of malaria after several weeks.

This recurrence stems from failure of quinine to kill parasitic material in cells of the body other than red blood cells. This parasite persistence after a time, re-invades red blood cells and precipitates. The second malarial attack.

Therefore, the correct answer is option (A) Bark in cinchona.

Additional information: Quinine fails to produce a complete cure of malaria so, many better antimalarial drugs have been developed. Example: Chloroquine, primaquine.

Note: The symptoms of malaria are as follows and they are as follows,
i) Bloody stools.
ii) Diarrhoea, headaches, and muscle pain.
iii) Fever and chills.
iv) In severe cases, seizures and coma is also seen and the infected person may even die.