Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

carrageenin, prostaglandin, and serotonin.^10

In a mouse model of arthritis, an aqueous

extract of the stems administered orally pro-

duced a dose-dependent increase in the anti-

inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 and

reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines

(tumor necrosis factor-a, interferon-g, inter-

luekin-6, and interleukin-1b).^11

Oral feeding of an ethanolic extract of the

whole plant lowered blood glucose levels in

alloxan diabetic^12 and tolbutamide- and glu-

cose-loaded rats.^13 Hypoglycemic activity is

attributed to the xanthone swerchirin.14–16

USES

Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.

Used in certain bitter tonic preparations.

Food. Reportedly used in alcoholic (bitters)

and nonalcoholic beverages. Average maxi-

mum use levels reported are 0.0016% and

0.0008%, respectively.

Dietary Supplements/Health Foods. Some-

times used in bitter tonic formulations; tea

(GRIEVE).

Traditional Medicine. Chirata is used in

Indiaas a bittertonic, febrifuge,anti-inflamma-

tory,andinthetreatmentofthirst,biliousness,^17

diarrhea, skin diseases, sciatica, depression,

cough (NADKARNI), asthma, anemia, liver disor-

ders;^11 also taken to prevent epidemic malaria,

cholera, and gastroenteritis during the rainy

season;^18 used against cancer.^19

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Limited availability as crude

Regulatory Status. Approved for use as a

natural flavoring substance in alcoholic bev-

erages only (§172.510).

REFERENCES

See the General References forCSIR I;FEMA;GRIEVE;GUPTA;MCGUFFIN1&2;UPHOF;YOUNGKEN.

1. A. K. Chakravarty et al.,Indian J. Chem.,
   33B, 405 (1994).


2. R. K. Asthana et al.,Phytochemistry, 30 ,
   1037 (1991).


3. K. K. Purushothaman et al.,Leather Sci.
   (Madras), 20 , 132 (1973).


4. M. Komatsu et al., Jpn. Kokai, 7127,558
   (1971).


5. S. Ghosal et al.,J. Pharm. Sci., 62 , 926
   (1973).


6. L. Bennaroche et al.,C. R. Acad. Sci. Ser.
   D, 280 , 2493 (1975).


7. L. Bennaroche et al., Plant. Med.
   Phytother., 8 , 15 (1974).


8. H. Goyal et al.,J. Res. Ayur. Siddha, 2 ,
   286 (1981).


9. H. Hikino et al.,Shoyakugky Zasshri, 38 ,
   359 (1984).


10. S. Mandal et al.,Fitoterapia, 63 , 122
    (1992).


11. I. V. M. L. R. Sirish Kumar et al.,
    Immunopharmacol. Immunotoxicol., 25 ,
    573 (2003).


12. A. Kar et al.,J. Ethnopharmacol., 84 , 105
    (2003).


13. B. C. Sekar et al.,J. Ethnopharmacol., 21 ,
    175 (1987).


14. M. B. Bajpai et al.,Planta Med., 57 , 102
    (1991).


15. A. M. Saxena et al.,Indian J. Exp. Biol.,
    29 , 674 (1991).


16. A. M. Saxena et al.,Indian J. Exp. Biol.,
    31 , 178 (1993).


17. C. L. Malhotra and B. Balodi,J. Econ.
    Taxon. Bot., 5 , 841 (1984).


18. A. K. Goel and B. S. Aswal,J. Econ.
    Taxon. Bot., 14 , 185 (1990).


19. J. L. Hartwell,Lloydia, 32 ,153 (1969).

Chirata 193