Quinine

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Quinine \Qui"nine\, n. [F. (cf. Sp. quinina), fr. Sp. quina, or
     quinaquina, Peruvian bark, fr. Peruv. kina, quina, bark. Cf.
     {Kinic}.] (Chem.)
     An alkaloid extracted from the bark of several species of
     cinchona (esp. {Cinchona Calisaya}) as a bitter white
     crystalline substance, {C20H24N2O2}. Hence, by extension


     (Med.), any of the salts of this alkaloid, as the acetate,
     chloride, sulphate, etc., employed as a febrifuge or
     antiperiodic. Called also {quinia}, {quinina}, etc. [Written
     also {chinine}.]
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  quinine
       n : a bitter alkaloid extracted from chinchona bark; used in
           malaria therapy