Chemical characterization, antihyperlipidaemic and antihyperglycemic effects of Brazilian bitter quina species in mice consuming a high-refined carbohydrate diet

Quina is the popular name for species of Cinchona, native to Peru and whose barks produce quinine. Currently, quinine is also used as a bitter additive in tonic water and drinks. Cinchona species do not occur in Brazil, but other species are known as quina, due their bitter taste and use as digestive tonics. In this study, six species of Brazilian quina were chemically characterized and three of them evaluated as antihyperlipidaemic and antihyperglycemic agents. The chemical composition was determined by spectroscopy, HPLC-DAD and LC-MS. Plasma concentrations of glucose and cholesterol were strongly reduced in animals receiving extracts from Baccharis trimera and Strychnos pseudoquina. These effects were attributed to the presence of higher concentrations of flavonoids and organic acids. S. pseudoquina also promoted a significant reduction of triglyceride, as well as a better fat distribution. The cytotoxicity assay the R. ferruginea and S. pseudoqina species in LD50 are greater than 1000 μg/mL and a percent viability during the 100% assay. B. trimera has already been applied to DL50 with a very high dose of 4.92 μg/mL, presenting a low viability during the analysis and cytotoxic assimilation. The results of this study confirm the role of bitter quina in digestive metabolic disorders.