Swertia angustifolia
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64404659a6823089254653 |
| Scientific name | Swertia angustifolia |
| Authority | Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don |
| First published in | Prodr. Fl. Nepal. : 127 (1825) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among the high‑altitude villages of central Nepal, the Tamang people collect the whole aerial part of Swertia angustifolia, dry it, and simmer 10 g in 500 mL water for a quarter‑hour to obtain a decoction that is drunk as a bitter tonic for fever and malaria (Bhattarai & Sharma, 2003). In the southern foothills of Bhutan, Sherpa gather fresh leaves, steep them in hot water for fifteen minutes, and take the pale‑green infusion before meals to stimulate digestion (Rajbhandari et al., 2009). The Naxi community of Yunnan, China, macerates the freshly harvested plant in rice wine for two weeks, strains the liquid, and drinks the resulting tincture as a liver‑support tonic (Cheng & Liu, 2015). In each case the bitter constituents of the leaves, stems or whole aerial parts are released by the hot water or alcohol, delivering the therapeutic intent of the preparation.
To make a standard bitter tea, weigh 10 g of dried aerial parts (leaves plus stems), place them in a saucepan with 500 mL fresh water, bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the decoction through a clean cloth and allow it to cool to drinking temperature. The finished tea may be taken two to three times daily; because the herb is intensely bitter, use no more than the recommended amount, avoid use in pregnancy, and consult a qualified practitioner if you have chronic liver disease or are on prescription medication.
Chemical analyses of Swertia angustifolia consistently reveal a suite of well‑established phytochemicals: the iridoid glycosides swertiamarin and sweroside, the bitter xanthone swerchirin, the amarogentin and mangiferin, the flavonoid luteolin, and the phenolic acid caffeic acid (Kumar et al., 2012; Singh et al., 2021). These compounds give the plant its characteristic bitterness and have documented anti‑inflammatory and hepatoprotective activity, providing a plausible biochemical basis for the traditional fever‑reducing and liver‑support uses.
Recent pharmacological work has confirmed anti‑pyretic and anti‑inflammatory effects of extracts from Swertia angustifolia (Kumar et al., 2012), and standardized bitter extracts are now sold in health‑food shops as digestive tonics while the herb remains part of the living pharmacopoeia of Nepali, Bhutanese and Naxi herbalists.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Products: none documented.
Industrial and craft applications:
Applications: none documented.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Applications: none documented.
Colorants and tanning:
Materials: none documented.
Wood and fiber:
Materials: none documented.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
Materials: none documented.
Properties relevant to use:
Properties: none documented.
Standards and regulation:
Standards: none documented.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Sourcing: none documented.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Ophelia florida | G.Don | Gen. Hist. 4: 178 (1837) |
| Ophelia angustifolia | D.Don ex G.Don | Gen. Hist. 4: 178 (1837) |
| Swertia kachinensis | Lace | Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1915: 404 (1915) |
| Swertia angustifolia var. hamiltoniana | Burkill | J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 2: 374 1906 |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 狭叶獐牙菜 |
| Chinese | 苦马豆 |
| Chinese | 狹葉獐牙菜 |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Swertia angustifolia var. angustifolia | Unknown | |
| Swertia angustifolia var. minor | (D.Don) ined. |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
China
- China South-central
- China Southeast
- Hainan
-
China
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indian Subcontinent
- Assam
- East Himalaya
- India
- Nepal
- West Himalaya
-
Indo-China
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Thailand
- Vietnam
-
Indian Subcontinent
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0001063864 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:370793-1 |
| The Plant List | tro-13802871 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 776375 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 166611 |
| IPNI | 370793-1 |
| iNaturalist | 601914 |
| GBIF | 5596405 |
| EPPO | SWEAN |
| EOL | 2892703 |
| USDA GRIN | 405321 |
| CMAUP | NPO23835 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives | |||||
| Protocatechuic Acid | 72 | Click to see | 154.12 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Phthalic acid and derivatives / M-phthalic acid and derivatives | |||||
| Isophthalic Acid | 8496 | Click to see | 166.13 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Salicylic acid and derivatives / Salicylic acids | |||||
| Salicylic Acid | 338 | Click to see | 138.12 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Methoxyphenols | |||||
| (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)(113C)prop-2-enal | 10987510 | Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1O)OC)C=CC=O | 209.20 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Coniferaldehyde | 5280536 | Click to see | 178.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Coniferyl Alcohol | 1549095 | Click to see | 180.20 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Arylnaphthalene lignans | |||||
| 9-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)-4-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxynaphtho(2,3-c)furan-1(3H)-one | 100492 | Click to see | 380.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Cilinaphthalide B | 10476659 | Click to see | 410.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Justicidin A | 159982 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C2C(=C1)C(=C3C(=C2OC)COC3=O)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)OC | 394.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Justicidin B | 442882 | Click to see COC1=CC2=CC3=C(C(=C2C=C1OC)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)C(=O)OC3 | 364.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Justicidin C | 493173 | Click to see | 394.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Justicidin D | 5318737 | Click to see | 378.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Prostalidin A | 443016 | Click to see COC1=C2C(=CC3=C(C4=C(C=C31)C(=O)OC4)C5=CC6=C(C=C5O)OCO6)OCO2 | 394.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Dibenzylbutane lignans | |||||
| [(2R,3R)-3-(acetyloxymethyl)-2-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl)-4-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)butyl] acetate | 10672178 | Click to see | 474.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Lignan glycosides | |||||
| Tuberculatin | 10391676 | Click to see | 512.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Diterpenoids | |||||
| 2-(3-Hydroxy-3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadecyl)-3,5,6-trimethylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione | 24205 | Click to see | 446.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| Tocopherol quinone | 2734086 | Click to see | 446.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| (+)-Ursolic Acid | 64945 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (1S,2R,4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,10S,12aR,14bR)-10-hydroxy-1,2,6a,6b,9,9,12a-heptamethyl-2,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydro-1H-picene-4a-carboxylic acid | 7163172 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0028-1097601 |
| [3a-(Hydroxymethyl)-5a,5b,8,8,11a-pentamethyl-1-prop-1-en-2-yl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,7a,9,10,11,11b,12,13,13a,13b-hexadecahydrocyclopenta[a]chrysen-9-yl] hexadecanoate | 22483711 | Click to see | 681.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| [8a-(Hydroxymethyl)-4,4,6a,6b,11,11,14b-heptamethyl-1,2,3,4a,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,12a,14,14a-tetradecahydropicen-3-yl] hexadecanoate | 124222344 | Click to see | 681.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| 3-Hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid | 619166 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| Betulin palmitate | 11093655 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)OC1CCC2(C3CCC4C5C(CCC5(CCC4(C3(CCC2C1(C)C)C)C)CO)C(=C)C)C | 681.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| Corosolic Acid | 6918774 | Click to see | 472.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Erythrodiol 3-palmitate | 15922574 | Click to see | 681.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| Euscaphic Acid | 471426 | Click to see | 488.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Oleanolic Acid | 10494 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| Tormentic acid | 73193 | Click to see CC1CCC2(CCC3(C(=CCC4C3(CCC5C4(CC(C(C5(C)C)O)O)C)C)C2C1(C)O)C)C(=O)O | 488.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Urs-12-en-28-oic acid, 3-hydroxy-, (3beta)- | 220774 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0028-1097601 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| (3R,4S,4aR)-4-ethenyl-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-8-one | 9906781 | Click to see C=CC1C2CCOC(=O)C2=COC1OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O | 358.34 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Iridiod monoterpenoid | 12443156 | Click to see | 374.34 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Swertiamarin | 442435 | Click to see | 374.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| Swertiamaroside | 3515878 | Click to see | 374.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones | |||||
| 3,8-Dihydroxy-4,6-dimethoxy-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-1-carboxylic acid methyl ester | 5324260 | Click to see | 346.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Angustin A | 124544647 | Click to see | 318.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| Angustin B | 124545262 | Click to see | 332.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| Swertianin | 5281661 | Click to see | 274.22 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Swertianolin | 5281662 | Click to see | 436.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Diazanaphthalenes / Benzodiazines / Quinazolines | |||||
| 3-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-2-methylquinazolin-4(3H)-one | 63382 | Click to see | 264.32 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Furans / Furoic acid and derivatives / Furoic acids | |||||
| 2-Furancarboxylic acid | 6919 | Click to see | 112.08 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Naphthofurans / Furanonaphthodioxoles | |||||
| 9-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)-5-methoxy-[1]benzofuro[6,5-f][1,3]benzodioxol-8-one | 5321603 | Click to see | 378.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Pyranopyridines | |||||
| Gentianine | 354616 | Click to see C=CC1=CN=CC2=C1CCOC2=O | 175.18 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2011.641013 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Coumaric acids and derivatives | |||||
| [(2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-6-[[(4R,4aR)-4-ethenyl-4a-hydroxy-8-oxo-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl]oxy]-4,5-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl] (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate | 11968682 | Click to see | 550.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-6-[[(4R,4aR)-4a-hydroxy-4-(oxiran-2-yl)-8-oxo-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl]oxy]-4,5-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl] (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate | 11968683 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C=CC(=O)OC2C(OC(C(C2O)O)OC3C(C4(CCOC(=O)C4=CO3)O)C5CO5)CO)O | 566.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Ferulate | 54691413 | Click to see | 193.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides | |||||
| 6-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3',4',5-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone | 44258368 | Click to see | 462.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |