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Swertia japonica

Swertia
Swertia perennis 230705.jpg
Swertia perennis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Gentianaceae
Genus: Swertia
L.
Type species
Swertia perennis L.
Species

120-150, See text.

Synonyms
  • Kingdon-Wardia C. Marquand
  • Ophelia D. Don
  • Pleurogyne Eschsch. ex Griseb.
  • Swertopsis Makino
  • Synallodia Raf.
  • Tesseranthium Kellogg

Probable synonyms

  • Anagallidium Griseb.

Possible synonyms

  • Frasera Walter
  • Lomatogoniopsis T. N. Ho & S. W. Liu

Sources: GRIN, ING, NHM


120-150, See text.

Probable synonyms

Possible synonyms

Sources: GRIN, ING, NHM

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.

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

Sources:

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.

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


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Wikipedia

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