Contents:
Common Names | Parts Usually Used | Plant(s) & Culture | Where Found | Medicinal Properties | Biochemical Information
Legends, Myths and Stories | Uses | Formulas or Dosages | How Sold | Warning | Conservation Status | Resource Links
Scientific Names
- Swertia chirayita
- Gentiana chirayita
- Ophelia chirayita
- Agathotes chirayita
- Swertia chirata
Common Names
- Chirayita
- Chiretta
- Chirata
- Anaryatikta
- Bhunimba
- Chiratitka
- Kairata (Sanskrit)
- Qasabuzzarirah (Arab and Farsi)
- Chiaravata (Urdu)
- Sekhagi (Burma)
- Chirrato (Nepal)
- Chiraita (Nepal)
Parts Usually Used
The whole plant, particularly the root, stem, and leaves.
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Description of Plant(s) and Culture
Swertia chirayita is an annual/biennial herb that grows 0.6-1.5 m tall. It has an erect stem, about 2-3 ft long, with the middle portion cylindrical and the upper quadrangular, featuring prominent decurrent lines at each angle. The stem is orange-brown or purplish in color with large continuous yellowish pith.
Leaves are lanceolate, in opposite pairs, with no stalks, acuminate, cordate at the base, sessile, five to seven nerved, and approximately 4 cm long.
The root is simple, yellowish, somewhat oblique or geniculate, tapering and short, almost 7-8 cm long and usually half an inch thick.
Flowers are small, numerous, tetramerous, arranged in large leafy panicles, green-yellow, and tinged with purple and green or white hairs. The plant typically flowers between July and October, which is when it is traditionally harvested.
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Where Found
Swertia chirayita is native to the temperate Himalayan regions, growing at high altitudes between 1200 and 2100 meters. Its natural habitat stretches from Kashmir to Bhutan, particularly on slopes of moist shady places. The plant is found in northern and northeastern India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
Due to overharvesting and habitat destruction, S. chirayita populations have drastically reduced, making it critically endangered in the wild. Conservation efforts and cultivation programs are underway in Nepal and India to ensure sustainable supply.
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Medicinal Properties
Swertia chirayita possesses a wide range of pharmacological properties, including:
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Antiviral (including anti-hepatitis B virus activity)
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antioxidant
- Antidiabetic (hypoglycemic)
- Antipyretic (fever-reducing)
- Hepatoprotective (liver-protecting)
- Antileishmanial
- Antihelmintic (against parasitic worms)
- Antimalarial
- Analgesic (pain-relieving)
- Antitumor/anticancer
- Immunomodulatory
- Cardiostimulant
- Antifatigue
- Antiaging
- Antidiarrheal
These medicinal properties make Swertia chirayita valuable for treating numerous ailments including fever, malaria, anemia, bronchial asthma, liver disorders, hepatitis, gastritis, constipation, dyspepsia, skin diseases, worms, epilepsy, ulcers, scanty urine, hypertension, and certain types of mental disorders.
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Biochemical Information
The pharmacological efficacy of Swertia chirayita is attributed to various bioactive compounds including:
- Xanthones: Swerchirin, mangiferin, bellidifolin, isobellidifolin
- Amarogentin: The most bitter compound isolated to date, known for its anti-diabetic, anticancer, and antileishmanial properties
- Swertiamarin: Shows anti-hepatitis, anticancer, anti-arthritic, and anti-diabetic activities
- Sweroside: Has antibacterial, hepatoprotective properties
- Amaroswerin: Known for gastroprotective effects
- Gentiopicrin: Has various therapeutic effects
- Other compounds: Oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, swertanone, syringaresinol
The plant is known mostly for its bitter taste caused by these bioactive compounds that are directly associated with human health benefits.
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Legends, Myths and Stories
Swertia chirayita has been widely used in traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha for centuries. It is documented in the Indian pharmaceutical codex, British, and American pharmacopoeias.
The plant was first described by Roxburgh under the name of Gentiana chyrayta in 1814. In 1839, it was included in the Edinburgh Pharmacopeia, marking its early recognition in Western medicine.
The ethnomedicinal herb is primarily known for its intense bitterness, which is believed to be indicative of its medicinal potency. The name “Chirayita” itself comes from the Sanskrit “Kiratatikta,” where “Kirata” refers to people from the Himalayan region and “tikta” means bitter.
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Uses
Traditionally, Swertia chirayita has been used for:
- Traditional medicine systems: Extensively used in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and other conventional medical systems.
- Pharmaceutical preparations: Used in British and American pharmacopeias as tinctures and infusions.
- Treatment of common ailments: The roots serve as an effective tonic for general weakness, fever, cough, joint pain, asthma, and the common cold.
- Headaches and blood pressure: Leaves and chopped stems are soaked overnight in water, processed into a paste, filtered, and consumed.
- Fever treatment: The whole plant is cut into small pieces, boiled in water, and consumed in small doses.
- Malaria treatment: A decoction is prepared and taken orally.
- Skin conditions: Paste of the plant is applied to treat skin diseases such as eczema and pimples.
- Digestive system: Used for liver disorders, stomach disorders like dyspepsia and diarrhea, intestinal worms.
- Other conditions: Used for hiccups, vomiting, ulcers, gastrointestinal infections, kidney diseases, scorpion bite, and excessive vaginal discharge.
- Commercial herbal formulations: Component in formulations such as Ayush-64, Diabecon, Mensturyl syrup, and Melicon V ointment for its antipyretic, hypoglycemic, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.
Formulas or Dosages
Due to limited standardized clinical studies, specific dosage recommendations vary. Traditional preparations include:
- For fever: Whole S. chirayita plants are cut into small pieces and boiled in 1/2 L of water until the volume is reduced to less than half a glass. The filtered water is stored and half a spoon is given to children once a day for 2 days. For adults, the dosage is 1 spoon once a day for 2 days, or three times a day until cured.
- For headaches and blood pressure: Leaves and chopped stems are soaked overnight in water. A paste is prepared and filtered with 1 glass of water. The preparation is consumed once a day for 2-3 days.
- For malaria: The plant is boiled in water and one cup of decoction is taken orally.
Always consult with a healthcare professional before beginning any herbal treatment regimen.
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How Sold
Swertia chirayita is commercially available in various forms:
- Dried whole plant material
- Powdered form
- Extracts
- As an ingredient in herbal formulations and supplements
- Tinctures and infusions
Most of the trade in Swertia chirayita involves the dried whole plant, which is collected during the flowering season and dried for storage and transport.
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Warning
Although Swertia chirayita has been used traditionally for centuries with few reported adverse effects, caution is advised:
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn’t enough reliable information to know if chirayita is safe during pregnancy or while breast-feeding. It’s advisable to avoid use during these periods.
- Intestinal ulcers: Chirayita might worsen ulcers in the intestine due to its bitter properties.
- Surgery: Chirayita might lower blood sugar, which could interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgical procedures. It’s recommended to stop using chirayita as a medicine at least two weeks before scheduled surgery.
- Medication interactions: May interact with medications for diabetes (antidiabetes drugs) by potentially lowering blood sugar levels. Taking chirayita along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low.
- Lack of standardization: Due to limited clinical studies and standardization, effects may vary between preparations.
Always consult with a healthcare professional before using Swertia chirayita or any herbal remedy, especially if you have existing health conditions or are taking other medications.
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Conservation Status
Swertia chirayita is categorized as “critically endangered” according to the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria. It is among the 32 most highly prioritized medicinal plants of India as identified by The National Medicinal Plant Board, Government of India.
The plant faces threats from:
- Overharvesting: Due to high demand in national and international markets
- Habitat destruction: Due to developmental activities in the Himalayan region
- Poor seed viability and germination: Making natural regeneration difficult
Conservation efforts include:
- Cultivation programs in Nepal and India
- Biotechnological approaches such as micropropagation techniques
- Synthetic seed technology research
- Restrictions on wild harvesting in some regions
Resource Links
Himalayan Medicinal Plants Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment and Research
WebMD – Chirata – Uses, Side Effects, and More
ScienceDirect – Swertia chirayita
Royal Botanical Gardens – Swertia chirayita
