Wall.
Synonym: Ophelia paniculata (Wall.) D. Don O. wallichii G. Don
Family: Gentianaceae.
Habitat: The Himalaya from Kashmir to Bhutan and in Lushai Hills in Mizoram at 1,500-2,400 m.
Action: Used as a substitute for Swertia chirayita.
The root gave xanthones (including swerchirin and bellidifolin); flavone- C-glycosides—swertisin and homoori- entin. The plant gave polyoxygenated xanthones and xanthone-O-glucosi- des; also a pentacyclic triterpenehed- eragenin. Aerial parts, in addition to xanthones, contain ursolic acid.
(Roxb. ex Flem.) Karst.
Synonym: S. chirata (Wall.) C. B. Clarke.S. tongluensis Burkill. Gentiana chirayita Roxb. ex Flem. G. chirata Wall. Ophelia chirata Griseb.
Family: Gentianaceae.
Habitat: Temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhutan and in Khasi Hills.
English: Chiretta.
Ayurvedic: Kiraata, Kairaata, Kiraataka, Kandatikta, Kiraatatikta, Kiraatatiktaka, Katutikta, Trin- nimba, Bhuunimba, Aranyatikta, Raamasenaka. Bhuunimba (also equated with Andrographis paniculata).
Unani: Chiraitaa.
Siddha: Nilavembu.
Action: Blood purifier and bitter tonic (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India); used in skin diseases. Other properties: antiinflammatory (experimentally, the benzene extract was comparable with phenylbutazone and betamethasone in induced arthritis); hypoglycaemic (xanthone, swerchirin, lowers blood sugar), astringent, stomachic (in dyspepsia and diarrhoea); antimalarial (before the discovery of Peruvian bark), anthelmintic; antiasthmatic, bechic; and as a liver tonic (several active principles are hepatoprotective).
The herb contains oxygenated xan- thone derivatives, including decus- satin, mangiferin, swerchirin, swer- tianin, isobellidifolin; iridoids including chiratin, alkaloids including gen- tianine, gentiocrucine, enicoflavine and glycosyl flavones.Antitubercular activity has been claimed in xanthones. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)Green chiretta is equated with Andrographis paniculata Nees, Acantha- ceae.
Dosage: Whole plant—1-3 g powder; 20-30 g for decoction. (API, Vol. I.)... swertia chirayita