''Swertia'' is a genus in the

gentian family Gentianaceae is a family of flowering plants of 103 genera and about 1600 species. Etymology The family takes its name from the genus ''Gentiana'', named after the Illyrian king Gentius. Distribution Distribution is cosmopolitan. Characteristi ...

containing plants sometimes referred to as the felworts. Some species bear very showy purple and blue flowers. Many members of this genus have medicinal and cultural purposes. Plants of genus ''

Frasera ''Frasera'', the green gentians, is a genus in the gentian family, native to North America and named for John Fraser, a Scottish botanist and colleague of Thomas Walter.The Frasera (Walter, 1795) were named for John Fraser. (Linn. 4-Tetrandria, i ...

'' are sometimes considered part of this genus, sometimes as a separate genus, and sometimes as synonymous.

Selected species

Species in the genus ''Swertia'' include, but are not limited to: * '' Swertia angustifolia'' Buch.-Ham. ''ex'' D. Don * ''

Swertia bimaculata ''Swertia bimaculata'' is a plant species in the family Gentianaceae Gentianaceae is a family of flowering plants of 103 genera and about 1600 species. Etymology The family takes its name from the genus ''Gentiana'', named after the Illyrian ...

'' (Siebold & Zucc.) C. B. Clarke ** ''Swertia bimaculata'' (Siebold & Zucc.) Hook. f. & Thoms. * '' Swertia calcicola'' Kerr. * '' Swertia chinensis'' (Griseb.) Franch. ** '' Swertia diluta'' (Turcz.) Benth. & Hook. f. * ''Swertia chirayita'' (Roxb. ''ex'' Fleming) H. Karst. ** ''Swertia chirata'' (Wall.) C. B. Clarke * '' Swertia ciliata'' (D. Don ''ex'' G. Don) B. L. Burtt. * '' Swertia cordata'' (Wall. ''ex'' G. Don) C.B. Clarke * '' Swertia dilatata'' C. B. Clarke * ''

Swertia hookeri ''Swertia'' is a genus in the Gentianaceae, gentian family containing plants sometimes referred to as the felworts. Some species bear very showy purple and blue flowers. Many members of this genus have medicinal and cultural purposes. Plants of ...

'' C. B. Clarke * ''

Swertia japonica ''Swertia'' is a genus in the gentian family containing plants sometimes referred to as the felworts. Some species bear very showy purple and blue flowers. Many members of this genus have medicinal and cultural purposes. Plants of genus ''Fraser ...

'' (Roem. & Schult.) (Makino) (known by the common names Japanese felwort and Japanese star swertia.) * '' Swertia leduci'' Franch. ** ''Swertia mileensis'' T. N. Ho & W. L. Shih * '' Swertia macrosperma'' C. B. Clarke * '' Swertia multicaulis'' D. Don * '' Swertia nervosa'' (G. Don) C. B. Clarke * ''

Swertia perennis ''Swertia perennis'' is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names felwort and star swertia. It is native to several regions of the northern hemisphere, including much of Eurasia and western North America. It is ...

'' L. * '' Swertia punicea'' Hemsl. * '' Swertia purpurascens'' (D. Don) A. Wall ''ex'' E. D. Clarke * '' Swertia striata'' Collett & Hemsl. * '' Swertia tibetica'' Batal. * '' Swertia tongluensis'' Burkill

Chemical constituents

''Swertia'' contains the chemicals sawertiamarine, mangeferin and amarogenitine 1,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-2,3,5,7-tetramethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-3,5,8-trimethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxyl-2,3,4,6-tetramethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-2,3,4,7-tetramethoxyxanthone, 1,8-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyxanthone, 1,7-dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyxanthone, 1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone,

balanophonin Balanophonin is a neo-lignan. It is a bioactive compound which can be isolated from ''Dipteryx odorata'' and ''Balanophora japonica ''Balanophora japonica'' (Japanese:ツチトリモチ; Chinese:日本蛇菰) is a plant species in the genus ''B ...

oleanolic acid Oleanolic acid or oleanic acid is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoid related to betulinic acid. It is widely distributed in food and plants where it exists as a free acid or as an aglycone of triterpenoid saponins. Natural occurre ...

maslinic acid Maslinic acid is a compound derived from dry olive-pomace oil (an olive skin wax) which is a byproduct of olive oil extraction. It is a member of the group of triterpenes known as oleananes. Pharmacology ''In vitro'' study shows that maslinic ac ...

, and sumaresinolic acid. Swerilactones from ''Swertia mileensis'' showed anti-

hepatitis B virus ''Hepatitis B virus'' (HBV) is a partially double-stranded DNA virus, a species of the genus ''Orthohepadnavirus'' and a member of the ''Hepadnaviridae'' family of viruses. This virus causes the disease hepatitis B. Disease Despite there bein ...

activity ''

in vitro ''In vitro'' (meaning in glass, or ''in the glass'') studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called "test-tube experiments", these studies in biology an ...

''.

Traditional medicine

''Swertia'' is used in Indian Ayurvedic Herbal System to cure Fever as in Laghu sudarshana churna, Maha sudarshan Churna and in Tibetan

folk medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

. It is also one of most widely used medicinal plants of

Sikkim Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siligur ...

, and is considered Vulnerable based on

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

CAMP Criteria.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment

{{Taxonbar, from=Q163970

Swertia ''Swertia'' is a genus in the gentian family containing plants sometimes referred to as the felworts. Some species bear very showy purple and blue flowers. Many members of this genus have medicinal and cultural purposes. Plants of genus ''Fraser ...

Gentianaceae genera Flora of Nepal Flora of North America