Swertia swertopsis

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Common products:
Swertia swertopsis is primarily utilized as a source of phytochemical reference compounds. The main products are purified swertiamarin (a secoiridoid glycoside) and a suite of prenylated xanthone derivatives, supplied as analytical standards for high‑performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry (MS), and UV‑Vis spectroscopy. These reference materials are employed by laboratories engaged in quality control of Swertia raw material, chemotaxonomic fingerprinting of Gentianaceae, and method validation for the quantification of bitter iridoids.

Scientific and model‑organism use:
The species has been the subject of metabolomic and phytochemical investigations focusing on its iridoid and xanthone composition. Isolated compounds serve as authentic markers for the authentication of Swertia extracts and for comparative metabolite profiling across the genus. Swertia swertopsis has also been included in molecular phylogenetic studies that employ nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences and chloroplast trnL‑F intergenic spacer data, contributing to the resolution of evolutionary relationships within Gentianaceae. Living collections and seed banks at Japanese botanical institutions maintain the plant for ongoing research, ensuring a stable supply for genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics projects.

Properties relevant to use:
Swertiamarin, the dominant iridoid, possesses a molecular formula C16H22O9, a molecular weight of 374.3 Da, and a UV absorption maximum at ~238 nm. Its lactone ring and glucose moiety confer moderate polarity (logP ≈ –1.5), facilitating extraction with aqueous methanol and reliable detection in reversed‑phase HPLC. The xanthone constituents are dihydroxy‑ or trihydroxy‑prenylated structures with conjugated polyphenolic systems that absorb strongly between 300 and 350 nm. Their molecular weights range from 300 to 400 Da and they exhibit logP values between 1.5 and 2.5, enabling selective extraction with moderate‑polarity organic solvents such as ethyl acetate. These physicochemical attributes make the compounds suitable as internal standards and as reference materials for spectroscopic identification.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Swertia swertopsis occurs in high‑altitude alpine meadows in central Japan and is not cultivated on a commercial scale. Wild collection provides the only source of plant material for research. Because the species has a limited distribution and a relatively low population density, sustainable harvesting practices are recommended by local conservation groups to prevent over‑exploitation. Institutional seed banks and ex situ living collections further support the long‑term availability of the taxon for scientific use.

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No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

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