Editing Cinchona (section)

===Cinchona alkaloids===
[[File:Cinchona alkaloids.svg|thumb|General structure of ''Cinchona'' alkaloids]]
The bark of trees in this genus is the source of a variety of [[alkaloid]]s, the most familiar of which is [[quinine]], an [[antipyretic]] (antifever) agent especially useful in treating malaria.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}{{sfn|EA|1920}} For a while the extraction of a mixture of alkaloids from the cinchona bark, known in India as the cinchona febrifuge, was used. The alkaloid mixture or its sulphated form mixed in alcohol and sold as quinetum was however very bitter and caused nausea, among other side effects.<ref>{{cite journal|pmc=5130665|year=1878|title=Cinchona Febrifuge|journal=The Indian Medical Gazette|volume=13|issue=4|pages=107–108|pmid=28997438}}</ref>

Cinchona alkaloids include:
* [[cinchonine]] and [[cinchonidine]] ([[stereoisomer]]s with R<sup>1</sup> = [[Vinyl group|vinyl]], R<sup>2</sup> = [[hydrogen]])
* [[quinine]] and [[quinidine]] ([[stereoisomer]]s with R<sup>1</sup> = vinyl, R<sup>2</sup> = [[methoxy]])
* [[dihydroquinine]] and [[dihydroquinidine]] (stereoisomers with R<sup>1</sup> = [[ethyl group|ethyl]], R<sup>2</sup> = methoxy)

They find use in [[organic chemistry]] as [[organocatalyst]]s in [[asymmetric synthesis]].