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botanical illustration of Chirata, Swertia chirata

botanical record · discovered

Chirata

Swertia chirata

Chirata · Chiretta

At a glance

Origin / distribution: India(Santal), India, Dutch, English, German, Iran, India(Hindu), Sanscrit

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Asthma, Atrophy, Bronchitis, Cachexia

Science studied: CHIRATANIN, CHIRATIN, 1,8-DIHYDROXY-3,7-DIMETHOXYXANTHONE, GENTIANINE

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Gentianaceae

Scientific name: Swertia chirata

Common names: Chirata, Chiretta

History

The source record documents this plant in India(Santal), India, Dutch, English, German, Iran, India(Hindu), Sanscrit and 1 additional place.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

  • Asthma
  • Atrophy
  • Bronchitis
  • Cachexia
  • Cough
  • Depurative
  • Fever
  • Gravel
show 11 more documented entries
  • Laxative
  • Liqueur
  • Phthisis
  • Puerperium
  • Stomachic
  • Tonic
  • Alterative
  • Gonorrhea
  • Hypnotic
  • Vermifuge
  • Tuberculosis

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

  • India(Santal)
  • India
  • Dutch
  • English
  • German
  • Iran
  • India(Hindu)
  • Sanscrit
  • French

Documented cultural uses

  • Asthma
  • Atrophy
  • Bronchitis
  • Cachexia
  • Cough
  • Depurative
  • Fever
  • Gravel
  • Laxative
  • Liqueur
  • Phthisis
  • Puerperium
show 7 more documented entries
  • Stomachic
  • Tonic
  • Alterative
  • Gonorrhea
  • Hypnotic
  • Vermifuge
  • Tuberculosis

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

  • Asthma · India(Santal) · "
  • Atrophy · India(Santal) · "
  • Bronchitis · India(Santal) · "
  • Cachexia · India(Santal) · "
  • Cough · India(Santal) · "
  • Depurative · India · "
  • Fever · India · "
  • Fever · India(Santal) · "
  • Gravel · India(Santal) · "
  • Laxative · Dutch · "
  • Liqueur · English · "
  • Phthisis · India(Santal) · "
  • Puerperium · India(Santal) · "
  • Stomachic · German · "
  • Tonic · English · "
  • Alterative · Iran · "
  • Gonorrhea · India(Santal) · "
  • Hypnotic · India · "
  • Tonic · India(Hindu) · "
  • Vermifuge · Sanscrit · "
  • Tuberculosis · India(Santal) · "
  • Fever · French · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

  • In vivo anthelmintic efficacy, hematobiochemical and antioxidant effects of Swertia chirata in Barbari goats naturally infected with Haemonchus contortus. · 2026 source ↗
  • In vivo anthelmintic efficacy and physiological effects of Swertia chirata in Barbari goats naturally infected with Haemonchuscontortus · 2026 source ↗
  • Plant extract preparation and green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using <i>Swertia chirata</i>: Characterization and antimicrobial activity against selected human pathogens. · 2024 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

  • CHIRATANIN
  • CHIRATIN
  • 1,8-DIHYDROXY-3,7-DIMETHOXYXANTHONE
  • GENTIANINE
  • 1-HYDROXY-3,5,8-TRIMETHOXYXANTHONE
  • ISOBELLIDIFOLIN
  • OLEIC-ACID
  • RESIN
  • STEARIC-ACID
  • SWERTIANIN
  • 1,3,7,8-TETRAHYDROXYXANTHONE
  • AMAROGENIN
  • BETA-AMYRIN
  • CHIRATOGENIN
  • ENICOFLAVINE
  • GENTIOPICRIN
show 9 more documented entries
  • MANGIFERIN
  • PALMITIC-ACID
  • SWERCHIRIN
  • DECUSSATIN
  • GENTIOCRUCIN
  • LUPEOL
  • OPHELIC-ACID
  • SWERTININ
  • TANNIN

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Swertia chirata
Swertia chirata · Rison Thumboor from Thrissur, India

Sources

Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases · CC0

GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0

show claim source mapping
  • identity · DH-SRC-0030
  • documented_uses · DH-SRC-0030
  • compounds · DH-SRC-0030
  • taxonomy · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
  • common_names · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
  • countries · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
  • cultural_records · DH-SRC-0030 · source ↗

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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