KIRATIKTA

Sanskrit Name
Kirātatikta

Botanical Name
Swertia chirayata (Roxb. ex Fleming) H. Karst

Family Name
Gentianaceae

Identification No.: SDACH/HG/199

Vernacular Names
Hindi: Chirata
English: Indian Gentian
Bengali: Chiretta
Gujarati: Kariyatu
Kannada: Nilavembu
Tamil: Nilavembu

Synonyms –

किराततिक्तः कैरातः कटुतिक्तः किरातकः

काण्डतिक्तोऽनार्यतिक्तो भूनिम्बो रामसेनकः ।।

Bhav Prakash: Haridakiadi varga

Habitat & Distribution
Native to the temperate Himalayas at altitudes of 1200–3000 m, especially in Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Bhutan. Grows in moist shady slopes and forest clearings.

Morphology –

• Root: Simple or slightly branched, bitter taste
• Stem: Erect, 0.3–1.5 m tall, usually purplish
• Leaves: Opposite, lanceolate, sessile
• Flowers: Small, greenish-yellow with purple lines, arranged in panicles
• Fruits: Capsules, many-seeded

Varieties
Other species used similarly: Swertia angustifolia, Swertia alata, Swertia corymbosa

Substitute / Adulterant
Substitutes: S.purpurascens Wall , S.decussata , S. chinensis Franchet, S. paniculata Wall.,  S. perennis Linn., S. lawii Burkill ,S. affinis C. B. Clarke , Exacum bicolor Roxb, E. tetragonum Roxb, Erythraea roxburghii G. Don, Enicostemma littorale Blume

Phytochemicals

• Swertiamarin
• Amarogentin
• Mangiferin
• Xanthones
• Gentianine

Raspanchaka – Rasa, guna, virya, vipaka, prabhava, dosha shamakta

• Rasa: Tikta (bitter)
• Guna: Laghu (light), Ruksha (dry)
• Virya: Sheeta (cold)
• Vipaka: Katu (pungent)
• Prabhava: Jwaraghna (antipyretic)
• Dosha Shamakta: Pitta–Kapha hara

Karma – Rogaghnata

• Jwaraghna (antipyretic)
• Deepana (digestive stimulant)
• Pachana (carminative)
• Krimighna (anthelmintic)
• Yakrituttejaka (liver stimulant)
• Kushtaghna (anti-skin diseases)

Amayika Prayoga / Therapeutic Uses

External
Used in paste form for boils, skin eruptions

Internal

• Fever (all types including chronic and malarial)
• Liver disorders
• Indigestion
• Worm infestations
• Skin diseases
• Diabetes (adjunctive use)

Part Used
Whole plant (mainly aerial parts including stem and leaves)

Dose

• Powder: 1-3 gm

Yoga / Formulations

• Kiratatikta Churna
• Sudarshan Churna
• Amritarishta
• Jwarankusha Vati

IUCN Status : Critically Endangered

Research Updates

Sharma, A., et al. Pharmacological overview and conservation status of Swertia chirayata: A review. Journal of Ethnopharmacology.

Rai, N., et al. In vitro antidiabetic potential of Swertia chirayata extract and its phytochemical analysis. Phytotherapy Research.

Joshi, M., et al. Conservation genetics and propagation strategies of Swertia chirayata. Plant Cell Biotechnology and Molecular Biology.