Vikas Sharma et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2011,4(6),1784-1787 Review Article Available online through ISSN: 0974-6943 http://jprsolutions.info chirayita: A review to revitalize its importance in Pharmaceutical Arena Vikas Sharma1*, Nidhi Srivastava1, Barkha Kamal1, A.K. Dobriyal2 & Vikash S. Jadon1 1Plant Molecular Biology Lab., Department of Biotechnology, Sardar Bhagwan Singh (P.G.) Institute of Biomedical Sciences & Research Balawala, Dehradun-248161, Uttarakhand, India 2Department of Zoology & Biotechnology, H.N.B.Garhwal Central University, Campus Pauri, Pauri Garhwal-246001, Uttarakhand, India Received on: 11-02-2011; Revised on: 16-03-2011; Accepted on:21-04-2011 ABSTRACT The present review is the pragmatic approach to ensue important aspect of very important medicinal herb Swertia chirayita, as this genitan species is renowned for its medicinal benefits in different traditional systems of medicines like Ayurvedic, Unani and Sidha. A lot of important attribute have been assigned to this species. This review has been done on various aspects from its botany, conservation, phytochemical contents and pharmaceutical applications.

Key words: Swertia, conservation, chemical constituents, medicinal activity, amarogentin

INTRODUCTION India - a country of immense biotic wealth - has more than 7000 species comprises ca 150 species and is annual, biennial or perennial herb ranging reportedly used for medicinal purposes most of which are being exploited from 2-4 cm. to over 1.5 m in height with 4-5 merous flowers, 1 or 2 nectaries recklessly for the extraction of drugs. The age old traditional values attached at the base of characteristically rotate corolla lobes. The genus mostly occurs with the various forest types and the varieties of forest products (i.e., medicinal in alpine or temperate habitats in Asia, Africa and N. America. The ) have gained tremendous importance in the present century (1,2). Medicinal circumscription of the genus has often been debated, resulting disagreement plants are the most important source of life saving drugs for the majority of amongst taxonomists due to the morphological similarities (nectariferous and the world’s population. It will be prudent to study species of indigenous rotate corolla lobes) among the species of Swertia and the related genera. medicinal/commercially valuable plants at genetic and molecular levels along Members of the genus are annual, biennial or perennial herb. Roots are fibrous with efficient conservation and management of genetic and phytochemical or woody. Stems absent, scapiform, or well developed, ascending or erect, diversity. Altitudinal variability at genetic and phytochemical level also can be terete, striate or angled or winged, simple or branched. Leaves opposite, rarely exploited to select useful genotypes that could be utilized as cultivars to avoid alternate or whorled or rosulate, sessile or petiolate, margin entire. Inflorescence batch-to-batch variation in extraction of standard drugs. Recent global emphasis cymose, usually grouped into simple or paniculate thyrses, rarely strictly on exploitation of herbal resources and instances of patenting of developing- dichoto- mous, sometimes reduced to single flowers and inflores-cences raceme- country plants by developed countries emphasize the need to generate databases like or flowers solitary and terminal. Flowers pedicellate, 4-or 5-merous. Bracts on indigenous medicinal plants which can be used for future reference. India is leaf-like, opposite and sessile. Calyx and corolla rotate, lobed to base, tubes home to a great variety of ethnomedically important plant species, and is less than 3 mm. Nectaries 1 or 2 per corolla lobe, naked or covered by a scale ranked 6th among 12 mega diversity countries of the world. Uttarakhand is one or flaps, glabrous, fringed or fimbriate. as many as corolla lobes, of the states in India which is known for its great diversity in terms of flora and attached at base of corolla lobe sinuses, sometimes surrounded by long hairs. 1- fauna and also its rich plant based ethnomedial tradtions. Swertia chirayita is celled Ovary. Style short to elongate. Bilobed Stigma. Fruit a capsule, enclosed one among the 32 highly prioritized medicinal herbs in the rich biodiversity of by persistent calyx and corolla, ovoid or flattened, dehiscing into 2 valves, few Uttarakhand (India) as identified by National Medicinal Plant Board, to many seeded. Seeds are small (6). Government of India (http://www.nmpb.nic.in). Plant Swertia chirayita belongs to family. Gentianaceae is a family of 84 genera and about 970 THE PLANT: species in the world and treated the family under order and clade Swertia chirayita Core (3). Members of the family are widely distributed, but are most Swertia chirayita (Roxb. ex Fleming) H. Karst. is also mentioned in the literature diverse in temperate and subtropical regions and in the montane tropics. as Swertia chirata, Buch.-Ham.;Ophelia chirata Grisebach.; Agathotes chirayita Clarke divided Gentianaceae into three tribes: Exaceae, Chironeae and Don.; Gentiana chirayita Roxburgh(4,7-9) and Gentiana floribunda Don(9). It is Swertieae(4). Cronquist treated the family under order Gentianales of subclass known by an array of names, suggesting its widespread use. Asteridae and class Magnoliopsida(5). Swertia is named in honor of Emanuel Sweert (rarely spelled Swert, 1552-1612), a Dutch gardener. Clarke(4) divided Common names: Swertia into three subgenera: Ophelia, Euswertia and Poephila. The genus Chirayita • Hindi: Chirayata, Charaita, Chirata • Marathi: Charayatah, Chirayita Swertia finds the key position in the field of research. The plant Swertia • Tamil: Nilavembu, Shirattakuchi, Anariyatittam • Malayalam: Kiriyatta, chirayita has been listed in Red Data Book, due to which many conservation Kiriyattu, Nilaveppa, Uttarakiriyattu • Telugu: Nelavemu • Kannada: Nelabevu programmes came into existence, these includes in-situ, ex-situ/in-vitro mode • Urdu: Chiraita shireen • Sanskrit: Anaryatikta, Ardhatikta, Bhunimba, of conservation. Phytochemical analysis as well as Molecular facet of medicinal Chiratika, Haima, Jvarantaka, Kairata, Kandatiktaka, Kiranta, Kirataka, Kirata plant Swertia chirayita has been and are being explored in many research Tikta, Naditikta, Naipala, Nepalanimba, Nidrari, Ramasenka, Sannipatha, institutes globally. The present review discusses the botanical description and Sutiktaka, Trinanimba, and Viktaka(7,8). medicinal importance of Swertia chirayita under different research area and importance of these research works has been focused. This sum up of the The trade name of S.chirayita is chiretta(7,8). research efforts about immense medicinal importance and characterization contains broader areas of research on Swertia chirayita. DISTRIBUTION The plant is a native of temperate Himalayas, found at an altitude of 1200– GENUS—Swertia L. 3000 m (4000 to 10,000 ft), from Kashmir to Bhutan, and in the Khasi hills Swertia L (Gentianaceae – Gentianeae – Swertiinae) is a morphologically at 1200–1500 m (4000 to 5000 ft) (8, 9). It can be grown in sub-temperate diverse but taxonomically distinct genus. The taxa in its present circumscription regions between 1500 and 2100 m altitudes (10).

*Corresponding author. DESCRIPTION Annual or biennial herb up to 90-125 cm. Stem erect, hollow, terete, glabrous Vikas Sharma sometimes slightly winged. Leaves opposite, whorled, sessile, leaf blade ovate 1Plant Molecular Biology Lab., or elliptic, 1.6-10.2 × 0.6- 4.0 cm, amplexicaul or clasping, margin entire, Department of Biotechnology, apex acute. Inflorescence panicles of cymes. Flowers tetra-merous, in numerous small clusters on branches of panicles. Pedicels 0.4 - 0.6 cm. Bracts elliptic- Sardar Bhagwan Singh (P.G.) ovate, 0.5 -1.0 cm × 1-3 mm. Calyx greenish yellow, deeply lobed, tube 0.5- Institute of Biomedical Sciences & Research 1.0 mm, lobes linear lanceolate, 4 - 6 × 0.5-1.0 mm. Corolla greenish yellow, Balawala, Dehradun-248161, tube 1-2 mm, lobes ovate, 4-6.5 × 2-3 mm, glands 2 per corolla lobe, oval or Uttarakhand, India oblong, fimbriate. Stamens 4 (as many as corolla lobes), haplostemonous,

Journal of Pharmacy Research Vol.4.Issue 6. June 2011 1784-1787 Vikas Sharma et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2011,4(6),1784-1787 filament 3-4 mm, anthers 0.5-1.0 mm. Carpel 3 - 5 mm; Ovary 1-celled, Table 1.Some important chemical constituents of Swertia chirayita ovoid, 2 - 3 x 1.5-2 mm, stigma lobe capitate. Fruit a capsule, Capsule 0.5-0.6 cm, enclosed by persistent calyx and corolla (6). Active Constituent Chemical Nature Medicinal activity Amarogentin Seco-iridoid glycoside Antileshmanial MACROSCOPIC CHARACTER Amaroswerin Seco-iridoid glycoside gastro-protective The stems are orange brown (7) or purplish in color (10) and contain large Chiratanin Dimeric Xanthone —- Chiratol Xanthone Bitter continuous yellowish pith.; Leaf nearly rough but glabrous, three to five nerved, Decussatin Xanthone Bitter dark greenish brown to blackish in colour; petioles almost absent. The Roots Enicoflavine Triterpenoid alkaloid Bitter are yellowish brown and simple, tapering and stout, short, almost 7 cm long Gentianine*, Triterpenoid alkaloid anti-inflammatory*, sedative*, diuretic*, hypotensive*, (4,9) Gentiocrucine antipsychotic*, analgesic* and usually half an inch thick . Kairatenol Hexane extract Hypoglycemic Mangiferin Xanthone Antibacterial,immunosuppressant HABITAT Oleanolic acid Triterpenoid Emollient Swertanone Triterpenoid anti-inflammatory The plant mostly grows in open, moist places and forest openings. The plant Swertenol Triterpenoid —- can be grown in a variety of soils with sandy loam rich in carbon and humus. It Swertianin Xanthone anti-inflammatory is also found in open ground and recently slash-and-burnt forests. Distribution Syingaresinol Lignan Hepatoprotective of Chirayita is not uniform; it depends upon the altitude and slope. It prefers Taraxerol Triterpene alcohol Analgesic Ursolic acid Triterpenoid anti-inflammatory, chemoprotective, antimicrobial to grow on north facing slopes. It grows in south facing slope between 1500m b-Amyrin Triterpenoid alcohol Emollient and 3000m, while on the north facing slope, it descends below 1500m. In Swerchirin Xanthone Antimalarial in vivo, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, general, 2000m altitude is most preferable range (11). Chirayita prefers to grow pro-heamatopoitic in acidic soil condition with pH of 4.7 to 5.5 (12). Chirayita is found being mixed Swertiamarin Secoiridoid glycoside Analgesic, antispastic with other species. The most common associate are: Bhuin Kaphal (Fragaria In Charak Samhita it has been recommended as a purifier of breast milk. In indica), Bukephool (Anaphilis triplinervis), Chari Amilo (Oxalis corniculata), Dubo (Cynodon dactylon), Ghans (Digitaria adecendens), (Desmodium Bhavaprakasha Nigantu it has been cited as laxative (sara), causes dryness oxyphyllum), (Elsholtzia strobilifera), Titepati (Artemesia vulgaris). (ruksha), is cooling (sheetal), bitter in taste (tikta), and easily digestible (laghu). It destroys cough (kaasa), oedema (shotha), mlorbid thirst (trsnaa), obstinate Flowering: July - October , Fruiting: August - December skin diseases (kushtha), fevers (jvara), ulcers (vrana), and parasitic infections (krimi). In addition it is also employed as remedy for dyspepsia, hyperacidity CHEMICAL COMPOSITION in the stomach, diarrhoea, haemorrhagic diseases, liver and kidney disorders, Swertia Chirayita is reputed for its medicinal and pharmaceutical value. This and is considered a carminative, alternative, and restorative (20, 21). medicinal plant species is a rich source of alkaloids and flavanoids, many of which exhibit broad spectrum activities. The roots which have been used MODERN SCIENTIFIC VALIDATION mostly as poison than as drugs are now reported to possess significant antipyretic All the medicinal properties are attributed to different phyto-constituent of and analgesic properties and a high therapeutic index. Various studies have the plant. There are a number of chemical constituents of Swertia chirayita been carried since last two decades on the isolation, identification, structural that are responsible for its various medicinal properties that resulted in the elucidation of active constituents of Swertia Chirayita and their pharmacological detailed scientific documentation about the various active components of the and biological activity. Alkaloids and Flavanoids both are manifested with wide plants and their properties. Methanollic extract of chirayita has been found to range of pharmacological and biological activity. This section of the review have anti-hepatotoxic activity in experimental animals (22). In another study it will focus on the research done on active constituents of Swertia Chirayita. has been claimed that syringaresinol, a minor constituent of the herb has Chirayita is found to have a number of chemical constituents. More than hepatoprotective activity (16). Strong superoxide scavenging action was showed twenty polyhydroxylated xanthones have been characterised, and some of methanollic extract (23). An important constituent of plant i.e. mangiferin has these are swertinin, swerchirin, mangiferin, decussatin and isobellidifolin; a (24) (13) been found to possess free radical scavenging property . It has been also dimeric xanthone and chiratanin has also been isolated . Of the bitter demonstrated to exhibit immunosuppressant action (25). It has also been shown secoiridoids, important ones are the bioactive amarogentin, and swertiamarin; to possess antibacterial activity in vivo (26). Ethanollic extract of the plant has mention should also be made of the nitrogen-containing secoiridoids gentianine (13, 14) been demonstrated to possess antiulcer activity in experimental animal models and enicoflavine . Amarogentin is one of the most bitter compounds (27). Ethanol extract exhibited antimalarial activity (28). Amarogentin, the most known, and the bitter taste persists even at a dilution of 1g in 14000 litres of (15) bitter compound known till date which is a secoiridoid from the herb has been water . The herb contains swertanone, swertenol, episwertinol, gammacer- demonstrated to display useful antileshmanial activity in hamster model of 16-en-3ß-ol, 21-a-H-hop-22(29)-en-3ß-ol, taraxerol, oleanolic acid, ursolic experimental leishmaniasis (29) and antihelminthic property. Other important acid, swerta-7, 9(11)-dien-3ß-ol, pichierenol. This plant also contains a range finding includes one in which biotechnological tools have been used to of pentacyclic triterpenoids (e.g. ß-amyrin, friedlin, lupeol, ?-taxaxerol, demonstrate the antiviral activity of these phytoconstituents(30) against type- chiratenol, kairatenol,oleanolic acid, ursolic acid). Other classes of compounds (14, 1 herpes simplex virus. Mangiferin has been found to have good potential as a identified include a lignan (syringaresinol), and the ubiquitous ß-sitosterol chemo protective agent (31). 16). Some important chemical constituents with their medicinal activity are given in Table 1. COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS Herbal medicines such as Ayush-64, Diabecon, Mensturyl syrup and Melicon V SUBSTITUTES AND ADULTERANTS ointment (32, 33, and 34) contain chirayita extract in different amounts for its Several species of Ophelia and related plants go by the name of chirata in antipyretic, hypoglycemic, antifungal and antibacterial properties. India. These are designated by the natives as bill (puharee) chirata, sweet (meetha) chirata, purple (ooda) chirata, and southern (dukhunee) chirata. CURRENT STATUS Chota chiretta, or small chiretta is the product of Slevogtia orientalis, Grisebach. The widespread use of Swertia chirayita in different systems of medicine The species of Ophelia referred to above are the O. angustifolia, Don (less reflects its pharmacological importance, also its modern scientific validation bitter than chirayita); O. elegans, Wight; O. densifolia, Grisebach; O. multiflora, stands for its immense pharmaceutical applications. However, existing Dalz; O. pulchella, Don. These all possess, more or less, the bitter tonic populations of Swertia chirayita are diminishing. In spite of its increasing virtues of chirata. However, S. chirayita plays dominant role in trade and is pharmaceutical demand, there is a conspicuous absence of any large-scale considered to be superior in medicinal quality. Due to high commercial demand, commercial plantations of the herb. The low viability and germination S. chirayita has vulnerable status in Nepal and India. One of the main issues in percentage of seeds and the necessarily delicate field handling of the seedlings its trade is adulteration with other low-value species considered to be inferior are some of the factors that discourage agrotechnological development and, in medicinal quality (17). Swertia nervosa is the main substitute of S. chirayita in (18) hence, commercial cultivation of S. chirayita. Therefore, the raw material for trade . Other species which are generally mixed with S. chirayita are S. the herbal industry is being consistently collected from the natural stands of angustifolia Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don, S. ciliata (D.Don ex G. Don) B.L. Burtt, the herb. Destructive harvesting beyond sustainable limits and destruction of S. dilatata C.B. Clarke, S. racemosa (G.Don) C.B. Clarke, Swertia alata (Royale the plant’s habitat has lead to a decline in numbers and, in some places, ex D. Don) C.B. Clarke, Swertia tetragona Edgew , Swertia multicaulis D.Don, (17, 19) extinction of natural populations. It is because of these reasons that S. chirayita S. paniculata etc. . Sometimes adulteration occurs due to misidentification finds its name among the 32 highly prioritized medicinal plants of India as of the true species. identified by National Medicinal Plant Board, Government of India (http:// www.nmpb.nic.in). THERAPEUTIC USES Swertia chirayita is traditionally used for the treatment of chronic fevers and BIOTECHNOLOGY IN CONSERVATION liver disorders. It has been recognised in Sushruta Samhitaa as anticeptic and Biotechnology offers a great tool for exploring various aspects of the Swertia curative of fevers, urinary disorders, skin diseases, cough, hicuup and poisoning. chirayita and can play an imperative role in its conservation. It may involve Journal of Pharmacy Research Vol.4.Issue 6. June 2011 1784-1787 Vikas Sharma et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2011,4(6),1784-1787 ex-situ or in-vitro mode of conservation. Conventional seed storage is believed hand use of pricey allopathic medicines may cause endless side effects. So to be an effective, safe and inexpensive method of ex-situ conservation of increasing production of Swertia chirayita active constituents can be made endangered medicinal plant genetic resources, which not only maintains its available for preparation of drugs which will be cost effective also. As Swertia viability but also its vigour without hampering the genetic makeup. So far chirayita is in great demand not only locally or nationally but internationally much of the attention has been paid towards ex-situ conservation of agricultural also, for its broad-spectrum medicinal properties, promoting its propagation plants but now it has also fascinated wild medicinal plants for their conservation. on large scale will directly increase the foreign exchange. Swertia chirayita is high altitude plant, due to which its propagation through seeds at low altitude is restricted due to ecological factors e.g. soil fertility, soil ACKNOWLEDGEMENT textures, pH, humidity etc and dormancy of seeds. So, giving pre-sowing The authors are thankful to Management, SBS P.G. Institute of Biomedical treatments e.g. chilling or hot water treatment or with different chemicals, Sciences & Research Balawala, Dehradun for providing necessary facilities. seed germination in Swertia chirayita can be enhanced, and its cultivation can be practiced at low altitude also. Seed availability is mandatory for ex-situ REFERENCES: conservation but due to diminishing population of Swertia chirayita, shortage 1. Stein R, Alternative remedies gaining popularity. The Washington Post. Friday, May 28, 2004 of seeds restricts these species for ex-situ conservation. 2. Kala CP, Revitalizing traditional herbal therapy by exploring medicinal plants: A case study of Uttaranchal State in India. 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Journal of Pharmacy Research Vol.4.Issue 6. June 2011 1784-1787 Vikas Sharma et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2011,4(6),1784-1787

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Source of support: Nil, Conflict of interest: None Declared

Journal of Pharmacy Research Vol.4.Issue 6. June 2011 1784-1787