Swertia Hookeri

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

Selected species

According to Plants of the World Online, the genus has 165 species. Species in the genus ''Swertia'' include, but are not limited to:

* '' Swertia angustifolia'' Buch.-Ham. ''ex'' D. Don
* '' Swertia bimaculata'' (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'' C. B. Clarke
* ''Swertia japonica'' (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'' L.
* '' Swertia pseudochinensis'' H.Hara
* '' Swertia punicea'' Hemsl.
* '' Swertia purpurascens'' (D. Don) A. Wall ''ex'' E. D. Clarke
* '' Swertia striata'' Collett & Hemsl.
* '' Swertia tashiroi'' (Maxim.) Makino
* '' Swertia tetrapetala'' Pall.
* '' Swertia tibetica'' Batal.
* '' Swertia tongluensis'' Burkill
* '' Swertia tozanensis'' Hayata
* '' Swertia trichotoma'' Wight ex C.B.Clarke
* '' Swertia uniflora'' Mildbr.
* '' Swertia usambarensis'' Engl.
* '' Swertia veratroides'' Maxim. ex Kom.
* '' Swertia verticillifolia'' T.N.Ho & S.W.Liu
* '' Swertia virescens'' Harry Sm.
* '' Swertia volkensii'' Gilg
* '' Swertia wardii'' C.Marquand
* '' Swertia wattii'' C.B.Clarke
* '' Swertia welwitschii'' Engl.
* '' Swertia wolfgangiana'' Grüning
* '' Swertia woodii'' J.Shah
* '' Swertia yezo-alpina'' H.Hara
* '' Swertia younghusbandii'' Burkill
* '' Swertia yunnanensis'' Burkill
* '' Swertia zayuensis'' T.N.Ho & S.W.Liu
* '' Swertia zeylanica'' (Griseb.) Walker ex C.B.Clarke

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, oleanolic acid, maslinic acid, and sumaresinolic acid. Swerilactones from ''Swertia mileensis'' showed anti-hepatitis B virus activity ''in vitro''.

Traditional medicine

''Swertia'' is used in Indian Ayurvedic Herbal System to cure Fever as in Laghu sudarshana churna, Maha sudarshan Churna and in Tibetan traditional medicine, folk medicine. It is also one of the most widely used medicinal plants of Sikkim, and is considered Vulnerable based on IUCN CAMP Criteria.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment

{{Authority control

Swertia, Swertia
Gentianaceae genera
Flora of Nepal
Flora of Northern America
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus