PDR for Herbal Medicines

682/SEMPERVIVUM TECTORUM

Sempervivum tectorum

See Houseleek

Senburi

Swertia japonica

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts of the plant are the

leaves and stems, which are used "as an amaroid and tonic.

Flower and Fruit: The flowers are in dense apical panicles.

The flowers are radial and fused, and their structures are in

fives. The 5 calyx tips are up to 5 mm long and linear to

lanceolate. The petals are 12 to 17 mm long, fused to a tube,

with 5 broadened, elongate elliptical tips. The petals are

white with reddish veins at the margin. Pairs of villous

glandular scales are ciliate and twisted in the bud. There are

5 stamens and a superior, single-chambered ovary. The style

is very short and the stigma 2-lobed. The fruit is a capsule;

the seeds are ovate to clavate.

V -

Leaves, Stem and Root: The herbaceous plant grows to

approximately 20 cm high. The leaves are opposite and

simple. The lower leaves are small and lanceolate. The

cauline leaves are 1.5 to 3.5 cm long and 1 to 3 mm wide,

linear to elongate-lanceolate, and acuminate with an involute

margin. The stem is square in cross-section, 2 mm thitk,

dark green to dark red. The root is woody.

Characteristics: All parts of the plant taste very bitter.

Habitat: Swertia japonica is found in Korea, China and

Japan.

Production: Japanese chirata is the dried herb of Swertia

japonica harvested during its flowering season.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Iridoids (bitter substances): secoiridoid glycosides, includ-

ing amarogentin (0.01 to 0.05%) and amaroswerin (0.05 to

0.3%), the representatives that are chiefly responsible for the

bitter taste, as well as the less bitter representatives

swertiamann (1.0 to 2.5%), gentiopicroside (0.5%) and

sweroside (0.2%)

Flavonoids: including swertisin, isoswertisin, swertiajapo-

nin, isovitexin

Xanthone derivatives (yellow): including swertianin, nor-
swertianin, methyl swertianin, swertianol (bellidifolin)

Monoterpene alkaloids

PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

EFFECTS

The use of the drug as an amarum is traceable to the bitter

substances it contains (secoiridoid glucoside). The allergenic

effect connected with topical application should be taken

into consideration.

4

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Uses in folk medicine include poor diges-

tion and loss of appetite.

Chinese Medicine: Insomnia and poor digestion are consid-

ered indications for use in Chinese medicine. Efficacy for

these indications has not yet been proven.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

No health hazards are known in conjunction with the proper

administration of designated therapeutic dosages.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: Whole, cut and powdered drug.

How Supplied: Forms of commercial pharmaceutical prepa-

rations: Drops.

Daily Dosage: 30 to 50 mg of the powder.

LITERATURE

Basnet P, Kadota S, Shimizu M, Takata Y, Kobayashi M,

Namba T, Bellidifolin stimulates glucose uptake in rat 1 %

fibroblasts and ameliorates hyperglycemia in streptozotocin

(STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Planta Med, 61:402-5, 1995 Oct.

Blaschek W, Hansel R, Keller K, Reichling J, Rimpler G,

Schneider G, (Eds) Hagers Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen

Praxis. Folgeba nde 1 und 2. Drogen A-Z. Springer. Berlin,

Heidelberg 1998.

el-Sedawy AI, Shu YZ, Hattori M, Kobashi K, Namba T,

Metabolism of swertiamarin from Swertia japonica by human

intestinal bacteria. Planta Med, 33:147-50, 1989 Apr.

Hase K, Li J, Basnet P, Xiong Q, Takamura S, Namba T,

Kadota S, Artificial bases from Swertia japonica. Makino

Yakugaku Zasshi, 45:1202-4, 1966 Dec.

Hase K, Li J, Basnet P, Xiong Q, Takamura S, Namba T,

Kadota S, Biologically active principles of crude drugs:

pharmacological actions of Swertia japonica extracts,

swertiamarin and gentianine (author's transl.). Yakugaku Zasshi,

45:1446-51, 1978 Nov.

Hase K, Li J, Basnet P, Xiong Q, Takamura S, Namba T,

Kadota S, Biosynthesis of C-glucosylflavones in Swertia

japonica (author's transl.). Yakugaku Zasshi, 45:165-71, 1979 ^

JFeb.

Hase K, Li J, Basnet P, Xiong Q, Takamura S, Namba T,

Kadota S, Hepatoprotective principles of Swertia japonica

Makino on D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced liver

injury in mice. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo), 45:1823-7, 1997

Nov.

Hase K, Li J, Basnet P, Xiong Q, Takamura S, Namba T,

Kadota S, Studies on the constituents of Swertia japonica. I. On