quinine

[Fr., from Sp. quinina, from Peruv. quina Peruvian-bark.] Chem.: C20H24N2O2. Chinin. Quinia. The most important alkaloid of the true cinchona barks, first obtained, but in an impure state, by Gomez, of Lisbon, in 1811. [CINCHONA-BARK, CINCHONA BASES. It is permanent in the air, inodorous, and very bitter; almost insoluble in water, but soluble in absolute alcohol, ether, and chloroform. From its alcoholic solution it crystallizes in prisms, having the composition C20H24N2O2+3H2O, and fusing at D. It exerts a strong levorotary action on polarized light, and is a powerful base, neutralizing acids completely, and forming easily crystallizable salts, which are very bitter and le soluble in water than the salts of the other cinchona alkaloids. Solutions of quinine in dilute sulphuric acid exhibit a blue fluorescence, and this is observable in solutions containing much le than one part in 200,000 parts of water.