Acidum Quinicum. Quinic Acid.

C₇H₁₂O₆ = 192.096.
Synonyms.—Kinic Acid; Chinic Acid.

Quinic acid, C₆H₇(OH)₄COOH, is obtained from cinchona bark. The acid occurs in colourless crystalline masses. Melting-point, 160°.

Soluble in water (1 in 2.5), alcohol (1 in 35), almost insoluble in ether.

Action and Uses.—Quinic acid was employed on the supposition that it combined with glycocoll in the body and prevented the formation of uric acid; recent research has, however, shown that it does not affect the excretion of uric acid. Nevertheless, it is still used in the treatment of gout and the uric acid diathesis, alone or in combination with lithium, formamine, urea, and piperazidine, as quinates. Compounds of quinic acid are known under the trade names Urosin (lithium quinate), Urol (urea quinate), Chinotropine (formamine quinate), Sidonal (piperazidine quinate), New Sidonal (quinic anhydride).

Dose.—2 ½ to 5 decigrams (4 to 8 grains).

The British Pharmaceutical Codex, 1911, was published by direction of the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.