Well the herb is of medical importance and cures skin diseases. And Uklad let me assure you i'm not here to sell anything cos I myself im suffering from this for the past year and a half.

Forget about selling, the question is wheather at all the herb'll work for us. I just thought i'll share this info with you guys as all of us need to contribute in one way or the other. The rest is up to you wheather you take cognizance or not....

The reason i wanted not mention the name of the herb was i wanted to see it for myself wheather it works or not. None the less the name of the herb is "CHIRAYITA". Google this........or read this:



REVIEW ARTICLE
CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 89, NO. 4, 25 AUGUST 2005 635
*For correspondence. (e-mail: poojaj@terischool.ac.in)

Swertia chirayita – an overview
P. Joshi1,* and V. Dhawan2
1TERI School of Advanced Studies and 2The Energy and Resources Institute, Darbari Seth Block,
Habitat Place,
Lodhi Road,
New Delhi 110 003,
India

Swertia chirayita is a medicinal plant indigenous to
temperate Himalaya. Its medicinal usage is reported
in Indian pharmaceutical codex, the British and the
American pharmacopoeias and in different traditional
systems of medicines such as the Ayurveda, Unani and
Siddha. The plant is used as a bitter tonic in treatment
of fever and for curing various skin diseases. S. chirayita
has an established domestic (Indian) and international
market, which is increasing at a rate of 10% annually.
The plant available in the market many a times is adulterated
and substituted by close relatives of chirata.
This article briefly reviews the botany, pharmacology,
biochemistry, market demand and trade of the plant.
This is an attempt to compile and document information
on different aspects of S. chirayita and highlight the
need for research and development.
Keywords: Amarogentin, bitter, hypoglycemic, swerchirin,
Swertia chirayita.
AMONG the different species of Swertia reported in India,
Swertia chirayita is considered the most important for its
medicinal properties. The bitterness, antihelmintic, hypoglycemic
and antipyretic properties are attributed to amarogentin
(most bitter compound isolated till date)1,
swerchirin, swertiamarin and other active principles of
the herb. Herbal medicines such as Ayush-64, Diabecon,
Mensturyl syrup and Melicon V ointment2–4 contain chirata
extract in different amounts for its antipyretic, hypoglycemic,
antifungal and antibacterial properties. Despite a
descent hold in the herbal industry, the plant is still collected
from the wild; it is sparsely cultivated and negligible efforts
have gone into developing proper agro-techniques of the
plant. Little research has been done to identify the existing
diversity among different populations of S. chirayita. The
lacunae in the related research field raise concerns regarding
the vulnerability of the species, emphasizing the need
for research.
Swertia chirayita – the plant
Swertia chirayita (Roxb. ex Fleming) H. Karst. is also
mentioned in the literature as Swertia chirata, Buch.-Ham.;
Ophelia chirata Grisebach.; Agathotes chirayita Don.;
Gentiana chirayita Roxburgh5–8 and Gentiana floribunda
Don8. It is known by an array of names, suggesting its
widespread use. Chirata is called Anaryatikta, Ardhatikta,
Bhunimba, Chiratika, Chiratitka, Haima, Jvarantaka,
Kairata, Kandatiktaka, Kiranta, Kirataka, Kirata Tikta,
Naditikta, Naipala, Nepalanimba, Nidrari, Ramasenka,
Sannipatha, Sutiktaka, Trinanimba, and Viktaka5,6 in Sanskrit,
Cherayata in Patna, Chirrato and Chiraita in Nepal, Chiraita
and Kiraita in Mumbai, Chirayatin in Gujarat, Chireta
in Bengal, Nilaveppa in Kerala, and Sekhagi in Burma. It
is also called Chiaravata (Urdu); Qasabuzzarirah (Arab, Farsi);
Charayatah (Deccan); Nelabevu (Kannada); Nenilawandi,
Nilavembu, Shirattakuchi (Tamil). The trade name of S.
chirayita is chiretta5,6.
The plant is a native of temperate Himalayas, found at
an altitude of 1200–3000 m (4000 to 10,000 ft), from Kashmir
to Bhutan, and in the Khasi hills at 1200–1500 m (4000
to 5000 ft)6,8. It can be grown in sub-temperate regions
between 1500 and 2100 m altitudes9. The genus Swertia Linn.
consists of annual and perennial herbs. There is no consistency
in the literature citing the habit of Swertia chirayita.
Some authors have described chirata as an annual5,6 and
others as biennial or pluri-annual10. It is not clear whether
the plant behaves differently due to climatic conditions or
varying genotypes. The plant can be grown in a variety of
soils with sandy loam rich in carbon and humus. It is also
found in open ground and recently slash-and-burnt forests10.
S. chirayita has an erect, about 2–3 ft long stem,
the middle portion is round, while the upper is four-angled,
with a prominent decurrent line at each angle. The stems are
orange brown5 or purplish in colour9, and contain large continuous
yellowish pith. The root is simple, tapering and
stout, short, almost 7 cm long and usually half an inch
thick8,9 (Figure 1).
Cytological work done on the species is poor. Khoshoo
and Tandon11 used pollen-mother cells for cytological
studies in some Himalayan species of Swertia. The authors
counted thirteen bivalents at metaphase I, and observed
that one of them was bigger than the rest.
Flowering in S. chirayita is in the form of numerous
small, axillary, opposite, lax cymes arranged as short branches
and the whole inflorescence is 2 ft long. Flowers are
small, stalked, green-yellow, tinged with purple colour,
rotate and tetramerous6,9 (Figure 1). The corolla is twice
as long as the calyx and divided near the base into four
ovate–lanceolate segments. The upper surface of the petal
has a pair of nectaries covered with oblong scales and ending
as fringes9. Fruit is a small, one-celled capsule with a transparent
yellowish pericarp. It dehisces from above, septicidally
into two valves. Seeds are numerous, minute,
REVIEW ARTICLE
CURRENT 636 SCIENCE, VOL. 89, NO. 4, 25 AUGUST 2005
Figure 1. Swertia chirayita: a, Plant in vegetative phase; b, A 2 ft tall plant before flowering; c, Flowering
twig; d, Flowering panicle during seed set; e, Single tetramerous flower; f, Root of a mature twoyear-
old plant.
many-sided and angular. Floral characteristics such as
colourful corolla and presence of nectaries support crosspollination
in the species. Generally, bees (Apoidae, Hymenoptera)
are the pollinators of S. chirayita11.
The plant is harvested for the drug industry when it
sets into flowering in July–September5,9. Seed setting
commences around October–November and seeds germinate
immediately after shedding. Only a few scattered reports
in the literature suggest germination studies and nursery
practices of S. chirata12,13. Ninety-one per cent seed germination
was reported after 3°C chilling treatment for fifteen
days12, whereas another study reported a maximum of
81% germination13. An observation at the post-germination
growth stage revealed that S. chirata is a slow-growing
species13. Low germination percentage and viability of
the seeds, long gestation periods and delicate field-handling
are some of the factors which discourage commercial cultivation
of the plant14.
Medicinal uses of S. chirayita
S. chirayita belongs to family Gentianaceae, which records
the occurrence of taxonomically informative molecules,
namely iridoids, xanthones, mangiferin and C-glucoflavones15.
Reviews detailing the chemical constituents of
the Swertia genus have been reported16–18. The widespread
uses of S. chirayita in traditional medicines have resulted
in considerable chemical analysis of the plant, and active
principles which attribute the plant its medicinal properties
have been identified and isolated (Tables 1 and 2). The
entire plant is used in traditional medicine; however the
root is mentioned to be the most powerful part6. The plant
is gathered during the late stages of flowering, commonly
tied up in flattish bundles about 3 ft long and 1.5 to 2 lbs
in weight9 and is sold in the market as dried brownish stems
with root and leaves intact.
S. chirayita is used in British and American pharmacopoeias
as tinctures and infusions19. According to Ayurvedic
pharmacology20, chirata is described as bitter in taste
(rasa). The thermal action (virya) of chirata is defined as
cooling (shita). Chirata is light (laghu), i.e. easily digestible,
and ruksha (dry). These characteristics drain heat from
the blood and liver. Its use has also been mentioned in
Unani medicine21. Concoction of chirata with cardamom,
turmeric and kutki is given for gastrointestinal infections,
and along with ginger it is considered good for fever6.
When given along with neem, manjishta and gotu kola, it
serves as a cure for various skin problems. It is used in
combination with other drugs in cases of scorpion bite22.
The concerns
The widespread use of S. chirayita in traditional medicine
reflects its pharmacological importance. However, existing
populations of S. chirayita are diminishing. Hence accorda
b f
e
d
c
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CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 89, NO. 4, 25 AUGUST 2005 637
Table 1. Secondary metabolites of Swertia chirayita
Compound Chemical nature Reference
1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone Xanthone 38
1,3,7,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone Xanthone 38
1,3,8-trihydroxy-5-methoxyxanthone Xanthone 38
1,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone Xanthone 38
1,8-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyxanthone/swerchirin Xanthone 38–40
1,8-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyxanthone/7-O-methylswertanin Xanthone 38, 40
1-hydroxy-3,5,8-trimethoxyxanthone Xanthone 38, 41
1-hydroxy-3,7,8-trimethoxyxanthone Xanthone 38, 41
2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid Aromatic carboxylic acid 42
21-a-H-hop-22(29)-en-3-b-ol Triterpenoid 43
Amarogentin Seco-iridoid glycoside 41, 44
Amaroswerin Seco-iridoid glycoside 41, 45
Chiratanin Dimeric xanthone 46
Chiratenol Hopane triterpenoid 43, 47
Chiratol/1,5 dihydroxy 3,8-dimethoxyxanthone Xanthone 40, 48, 49
Decussatin Xanthone 40, 48, 49
Enicoflavine Triterpenoid alkaloid 40, 48, 50
Episwertenol Triterpenoid 43
Erythrodiol Hexane extract 47, 51
Gammacer-16-en-b-ol Triterpenoid 45
Gentianine Triterpenoid alkaloid 50
Gentiocrucine Triterpenoid alkaloid 50
Kairatenol Hexane extract 48
Lupeol Triterpene alcohol 52
Mangiferin Xanthone 39, 42
Mangostin Xanthone 53
Oleanolic acid Triterpenoid 46, 54
Pichierenol Swertane terpenoid 52
Sweroside Seco-iridoid glycoside 42, 46
Sweroside-2¢-O-3²,5²-trihydroxy biphenyl-2² carboxylic acid ester Seco-iridoid glycoside 46
Swerta-7,9(11)-dien-3-b-ol Swertane terpenoid 52
Swertanone Triterpenoid 44
Swertenol Triterpenoid 44
Swertianin/1,7,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone Xanthone 50, 51
Syingaresinol Lignan 42
Taraxerol Triterpene alcohol 44
Ursoilic acid Triterpenoid 44
b-Amyrin Triterpenoid alcohol 54
b-Sitosterol-3-b-D-glucoside Sterol 46
Ø-Taraxasterol or heterolupeol Hexane extract 51
ing to the new International Union for Conservation of
Nature and Natural resources (IUCN) criteria, S. chirayita
has been categorized as critically endangered23,24. This
leads to a need for conservation of the plant. S. chirayita
has been prioritized by the National Medicinal Plant Board
(Government of India) for conservation and cultivation in
Uttranchal25, emphasizing the need to develop agro-technology
packages.
The novel technique of in vitro conservation and micropropagation
can help in conservation and production of a
large number of disease-free, true-to-type plants. Wawrosch
et al.26 reported shoot regeneration from root explant.
Ahuja et al.27 have optimized media condition for faster
propagation of S. chirayita. Attempts have been made to
standardize root cultures for production of active metabolites
under in vitro conditions28. Root culture studies have
been taken up in related species of Swertia29,30. However,
there exists a need to translate these in vitro studies to the
field for practical applications.
Considering the range of different niches occupied by
the plant, there is a possibility that many ecotypes and/or
chemotypes of S. chirayita exist. It would be interesting
to study the morphological, molecular and biochemical
variations among different populations for S. chirayita.
These studies become more relevant in case of species
akin to chirata, because diversity is often unevenly distributed
among populations. Some of these populations/niches may
be particularly significant in terms of the amount of
diversity they possess31. Thus populations with maximum
diversity can be identified and isolated for conservation
without any duplication within the conserved germplasm.
S. chirayita enjoys a good domestic and international
market. The medicinal plant sector in India is unorganized
and it is difficult to get a regular update of statistics vis-àREVIEW
ARTICLE
CURRENT 638 SCIENCE, VOL. 89, NO. 4, 25 AUGUST 2005
vis the demand and supply, collection and economics of
chirata. The only available data regarding collection and
trade of the plant are for the year 1990–1991 with respect to
Nepal32 and for the year 2001–02 for India33,34. The plant
has a huge demand in the medicinal market and is an important
factor for the economy of Nepal. About 45% of chirayita
in the Himalayan region is collected from Nepal34.
The trade and economics of chirata is also affected by
adulterants of the herb. Andrographis paniculata (green
chirayita)35, Exacum tetragonum Roxb., E. bicolor Roxb., E.
pedunculatum Linn., Slevolgia orientalis Griesb., Swertia
alata Royle., S. angustifolia Buch.-Ham., S. bimaculata
Hook. f. and Thoms., S. ciliata G. Don, S. densifolia Greisb.,
S. elegans Wight., S. lawii Burkill., S. minor Griesb., S.
paniculata Wall., S. multiflora Dalzell., are adulterants
found along with true chiretta5. S. minor Griesb. is used as a
substitute for chirata in treatment of malaria and other fevers5.
However, substitutes such as S. angustifolia Buch.-Ham.
and S. alata Royle. are inferior to S. chirayita in terms of
bitterness5. Karan et al.36 and Bhatia et al.37 reported
comparative evaluation of morphological characters and
chromatographic fingerprint profile for xanthones and secoiridoid
bitters of S. chirayita along with other species
of Swertia. The true chirata can be distinguished from
other substitutes and adulterants by its intense bitterness,
brownish-purple stem (dark colour), continuous yellowish
pith and petals with double nectaries. Verma and Kumar38
reported variation in germplasm of S. chirata using iso-
Table 2. Biological activities attributed to S. chirayita
Activity Reference
Alternative 7, 55
Antihelmintic 56
Antileishmaniak 57
Anticholinergic 58
Anticonvulsant 59
Antiedemic 60
Antiinflammatory 45, 61–63
Antimalarial 64
Antipyretic 60
Antitubercular 65
Astringent 22
Bitter 40
Cardio stimulant 60
Cholagogue 6
Choleretic 60
CNS depressant 39
Emollient 7, 54
Hepatoprotective 66
Hypnotic 7, 56
Hypoglycemic/antidiabetic 67–72
Laxative 7, 56
Secretagogue 6
Stomachic 22
Tonic 22
Undersedative 6
Vermifuge 6
zyme polymorphism. Such studies highlight the importance
of having diagnostic keys for evaluating the authenticity
of the available material. This will help in identifying and
documenting authentic samples, isolating superior chemotypes,
and establishing and cultivating them for industrial
use without adulteration. There is tremendous scope for
reducing pressure on chirata populations by identifying and
promoting the use of superior substitutes of chirata.
Conclusion
Thus there is still a wide scope for exploring different aspects
of S. chirayita. Discrepancies remain about the habit of
the plant. There are no established agro-techniques for
promoting its cultivation. Only preliminary studies have
been done to provide information regarding germination
and viability of chirata seeds. The threatened status of the
herb calls for establishing sustainable harvesting methods
for S. chirayita. There are, of course, no established varieties
or lines of chirata. A strong need is felt to screen the different
chemo-types of chirata growing at different phyto-geographical
locations. Similarly, biodiversity studies at morphological,
biochemical and genetic levels will enable the
research community to realize the extent of variability
within the existing germplasm of S. chirayita and hence
help in conservation of the plant.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. We thank Dr R. K. Pachauri, Director
General, TERI for infrastructure support. The Senior Research Fellowship
from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi to
P.J. is acknowledged. We thank the anonymous reviewers for their
helpful comments.
Received 29 April 2004; revised accepted 19 April 2005
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