German company BUCHLER manufactures 25-30% of quinine globally. Their manufacturing process is shown in Figure _.
After obtaining the cinchona bark, it is finely ground then mixed with quicklime and dilute sodium hydroxide. It is then treated with toluene in order to extract the cinchona alkaloids, which include quinine, quinidine, cinchonine and cinchonidine. Fats and resins are also extracted.
This is filtered and the residue is treated with steam to boil off and recover majority of the toluene from the bark. In order to get rid of the remaining toluene, the basic cinchona alkaloids are mixed with dilute sulfuric acid, causing them to form salts
After obtaining the cinchona bark, it is finely ground then mixed with quicklime and dilute sodium hydroxide. It is then treated with toluene in order to extract the cinchona alkaloids, which include quinine, quinidine, cinchonine and cinchonidine. Fats and resins are also extracted.
This is filtered and the residue is treated with steam to boil off and recover majority of the toluene from the bark. In order to get rid of the remaining toluene, the basic cinchona alkaloids are mixed with dilute sulfuric acid, causing them to form salts