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CHIRATA
Source: Swertia chirata(Roxb. ex Fleming)
(syn.Swertia chirata(Wall.) C.B. Clarke)
(Family Gentianaceae).
Common/vernacular names: Bitter stick,
chirata, chirayta, chiretta, and East Indian
balmony.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Annual herb with opposite leaves and branch-
ing, four-angled stem, with large continuous
pith; about 1 m high; leaves broadly lanceo-
late, subsessile; flowers in large panicles,
greenish yellow, purple-tinged; native to
northern India, Nepal, and Pakistan in temper-
ate altitudes of the Himalayas from 1200 to
3000 m. Part used is the whole dried herb.
OtherSwertiaspecies appear as adulterants
(especiallyS. angustifolia; alsoAndrographis
paniculataand roots ofRubia cordifolia);S.
chiratais distinguished by the large dark stem
pith and intensely bitter flavor.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Contains a bitter glucoside amarogentin (chir-
atin), bitter glycosides (amarogentin, amaros-
werin, sweroside); ()-syringaresinol (lig-
nan);^1 numerous tetraoxygenated xanthones,
including chiratol (1,5-dihydroxy-3,8-dime-
thoxy xanthone),^2 swertinin (7,8-dihydroxy-
1,3-dimethoxyxanthone), swertianin (1,7,8-
trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone), swerchirin
(1,8-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyxanthone), de-
cussatin (1-hydroxy-2,6,8-trimethoxyxanth-
one), isobellidifolin (1,6,8-trihydroxy-4-meth-
oxyxanthone), 1,3,7,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone,
1,8-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyxanthone, 1-hy-
droxy-3,5,8-trimethoxyxanthone, mangiferin,
and others; also triterpenes (b-amyrin, chira-
tenol, lupeol,oleanolicacid, pichierenol,swer-
tenol, swertanone, taraxerol, ursolic acid, etc.);
and monoterpene alkaloids, among others
(KARRER).1,3–7
PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES
Chirata xanthones (swertianin, 1,3,7,8-tetra-
hydroxyxanthone, and 1,8-dihydroxy-3,7-
dimethoxyxanthone) are claimed to have
antituberculous activities.^4 Amarogentin has
shown in vitro hepatoprotective activity
againstcarbontetrachloridetoxicity.^8 Swerch-
irin has shown antimalarial activityin vivo.^9
Oral administration of a total benzene ex-
tract of the aerial parts of chirata inhibited
hind pawedema induced in rats by bradykinin,
192 Chirata
