How did quinine become an early treatment for malaria?

Quinine became an early treatment for malaria following the introduction of cinchona bark to Europe from Peru in the 1630s. This "Peruvian bark" was recognized as an effective remedy, and its skillful application by the English physician Thomas Sydenham helped distinguish malaria from other fevers, marking one of the first instances of specific drug therapy.12

For the next 300 years, quinine remained the only effective treatment for the disease. The drug's availability increased significantly after 1820, when its active alkaloid ingredients were first extracted and described, allowing them to become a standard medical treatment. By the mid-19th century, the establishment of cinchona plantations in Asia by the Dutch further expanded access to this lifesaving medication.321

Quinine functions by interfering with the growth and reproduction of malarial parasites within human red blood cells, effectively alleviating symptoms. While it was the first chemical compound successfully used to combat an infectious disease, it does not provide a complete cure, as it fails to eliminate parasites residing in other body tissues.3