Congolese researcher contributes to quinine production without cinchona plants

Kinshasa, March 22^nd, 2026 (CPA) – A Congolese researcher has contributed to a major scientific breakthrough with an international team working in Germany, enabling the production of quinine without relying on cinchona plants, through the identification of genes responsible for its alkaloids, which have been used for over two centuries as a treatment against malaria, the researcher said Sunday in an interview. “Our work has made it possible to uncover the genetic and chemical mechanisms through which cinchona plants produce natural alkaloids such as quinine. We have also demonstrated that the identified enzymes can be used to produce these compounds in other plants, such as tobacco. This breakthrough opens up several prospects, including a possible revolution: in the coming years, quinine production could be achieved without the need for large cinchona plantations, even in hard-to-reach areas,” said Dr. Blaise Kimbadi, researcher and lecturer at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany and at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Kinshasa. According to the source, this research will enable the production of these medicines through biotechnological means. “We anticipate that the price of quinine and similar compounds could also be significantly reduced. Furthermore, our work allows for the production of a wide range of derivatives that can be tested to develop more effective medicines, with fewer or no side effects, compared to quinine,” he added. He noted that the results of this research open new perspectives for the use of natural products and their application in everyday life. “We have solved a long-standing mystery—understanding how cinchona plants synthesize quinine. Quinine, along with structurally related molecules also produced by cinchona, has been used for centuries as medicine, food additives, and versatile tools in chemical research and industry. Our discoveries pave the way for numerous opportunities, particularly for the production of these valuable natural products and their new analogues, which may offer improved medicinal properties,” the Congolese scientist stated. Holding a PhD in natural sciences from the University of Würzburg in 2019 (Germany), Blaise Kimbadi is internationally recognized for his high-level research in chemistry and pharmacology, particularly in the discovery of natural compounds against serious diseases such as cancer and malaria. His previous research notably led to the discovery of new natural products known as “bandakamines” (molecules capable of combating microbes responsible for malaria and sleeping sickness), derived from certain forest lianas found around the city of Mbandaka, capital of Equateur province in western DRC. Using advanced techniques, the scientists identified a novel intermediate and successfully produced cinchona molecules in a model plant, *Nicotiana benthamiana*. This discovery paves the way for sustainable production and the development of new derivatives with promising medical and chemical applications.