Swertia Research Articles

Swertia Chirata: A Comprehensive review of its abundant medicinal properties

Swertia chirata (S chirata), (Family Gentianaceae) is a well-known herbaceous plant. It is very popular in traditional systems of medicine like Unani, Ayurveda, and Siddha. It is commonly used in Unani medicine, for several pharmacological effects including Musaffi-i-Dam (blood purifier), Muqawwi-i-Mida (stomachic), Muhallil-i-Awram (anti-inflammatory), Muqawwi-i-Qalb wa Jigar (tonic to heart and liver), Mulattif (demulcent), Mudir (diuretic), Mulliyin (laxative) properties. It is used for chronic fever, malaria, anemia, liver disorders, hypertension, dyspepsia, gastritis, ulcers, constipation, and skin diseases, and is included in many pharmacopoeial and non-pharmacopoeial preparations. The entire plant contains ophelic acid, two bitter glycosides chiratin, and amarogentin. It also contains resins, tannin, gum, carbonate, and phosphate of potash, lime, and magnesia. Extensive studies on S. chirata have been carried out by various researchers and a wide spectrum of its pharmacological actions have been explored which includes anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. The present review is an effort to provide a detailed survey of the literature, scientific researches of pharmacognostical characteristics, chemical composition, and pharmacological activities of this plant.

Comparison of Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Effect of Swertia chirayita and Febuxostat in Vitro

Introduction:Plasma uric acid ? 6.5 to 7.0 mg/dl increases the incidence of gout, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, stroke and heart failure. Low purine diet, use of xanthine oxidase inhibitors allopurinol and febuxostat; or uricosuric agent’s probenecid, sulfinpyrazone and Benzbromarone are being used for treatment. Swertia chirayita extract (SCE) being practiced as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant was evaluated for inhibition of xanthine oxidase.
 Aims & Objectives: To observe the in vitro effect of Swertia chirayita ethanolic extract on xanthine oxidase inhibition and its comparison with medicine febuxostat.
 Place and duration of study: The study was conducted in Pharmacology Department, University of Health Sciences Lahore during June-August 2017.
 Material & Methods: Xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition by ethanolic extract of the herb was compared with febuxostat. Serial dilutions of test compounds ranging from 1.25µg/ml to 100 µg/ml were prepared in absolute ethanol. Fixed volumes of xanthine, xanthine oxidase, phosphate buffer and test compounds were incubated. Uric acid concentration in the reaction mixture was calculated by measuring absorbance at 295nm by using Ultraviolet- Visible Spectrophotometer. Mean values and percent inhibition (± SD) was calculated. EZ Fit Enzyme Kinetic program was also used to calculate inhibitory concentration 50 percent (IC50), Michaelis constant (Km) and maximum rate of reaction (Vmax).
 Results: At maximum dose, (100 µg/ml) xanthine oxidase inhibition by febuxostat and Swertia chirayita was 98% and 80% percent respectively (p=0.01). Swertia chirayita extract showed IC50 at 9.15± 1.2 µg/ml whereas IC50 of febuxostat was 7.91± 0.9 µg/ml.
 Conclusion: In the light of XO inhibition, Swertia chirayita has potential to be explored as antihyperuricemic agent.

Antimicrobial activity of bacterial endophytes from Chirata (Swertia chirata Wall.) and Datura (Datura stramonium L.)

BackgroundExploration of biocides in microbial system becomes increasingly interesting. Among the different microbial systems, the study of endophytes becomes an important field of research because of their agricultural as well as pharmaceutical importance. Bacterial endophytes from two medicinal plants from North Easter states of India had been studied for their potential antibacterial and antifungal properties.ResultsBacterial endophytes from two medicinal plant species abundantly available in North Eastern states of India, Chirata (Swertia chirata) and Datura (Datura stramonium), had been isolated and studied for their anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activities. Six bacterial endophytes were isolated from Chirata and 5 from Datura. All these bacterial isolates were initially isolated by observing their colony morphology, and then 9 morphologically distinct bacterial isolates were identified at molecular level by their 16s rRNA sequencing. Among the identified isolates, 5 were found to be belonged to genus Staphylococcus, 2 Bacillus, and one each belonged to Rhodococcus and Cupriavidus. Antibacterial study was carried out against 2 plant pathogenic bacteria, viz., Xanthomonas oryzae and Ralstonia solanacearum. Antifungal study was carried out against 2 plant pathogenic fungi, viz., Fusarium oxysporum and F. solani. Out of 6 bacterial isolates from Chirata, one showed antibacterial as well as antifungal properties, and another one showed antifungal properties only. Likewise, out of 5 bacterial isolates from Datura, one found to have both antibacterial and antifungal properties, and another one has only antifungal properties.ConclusionFew bacterial endophytes isolated from S. chirata and D. stramonium L., abundantly available in North Eastern part of India, had potential antibacterial as well as antifungal properties. This could be considered as the baseline information on potential antibacterial and antifungal agents from bacterial endophytes. Further investigations are required to assess their efficacy against several other bacterial and fungal diseases of economic importance.

Structure-based assortment of herbal analogues against spike protein to restrict COVID-19 entry through hACE2 receptor: An in-silico approach

On-going global pandemic COVID-19 has spread all over the world and has led to more than 1.97 million deaths till date. Natural compounds may be useful to protecting health in this perilous condition. Mechanism of shuttle entry of SARS-COV-2 virus is by interaction with viral spike protein with human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor. To explore potential natural therapeutics, 213 important phytochemi-cals of nine medicinal plants Aconitum heterophyllum, Cassia angustifolia, Cymbopogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon martinii, Nux vomica, Phyllanthus urinaria, Swertia chirayita, Justicia adhatoda, Vetiveria zizanioides were selected for in-silico molecular docking against the spike protein of SARS-COV-2 and compared with recently prescribed drug chloroquine, ramdesivir, lopinavir and hydroxychloroquine. Results revealed that rhamnocitrin of P. urinaria, 1,5-dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyxanthone of S. chirayita and laevojunenol of V. zizanioides potentially binds with the receptor binding site of SARS-COV-2 spike glycoprotein and more robustly destabilized the RBD-ACE-2 binding over chloroquine, ramdesivir, lopinavir and hydroxychloroquine. It was also found that laevojunenol, rhamnocitrin, and 1,5-dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyxanthone qualified the criteria for drug-likeness as per Lipinski rule. After attachment of the selected phytochemical with the spike protein the affinity of the later towards ACE-2 was minimized and the effect of 1,5-dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyxanthone and laevojunenol was superior. Hence, rhamnocitrin of P. urinaria, 1,5-dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyxanthone of S. chirayita and laevojunenol of V. zizanioides, are potential therapeutic molecules for SARS-COV-2, which upon binding with spike protein changes the affinity of the spike towards ACE-2 and therefore restrict the entry of the virus into a human cell. Subsequent clinical validation is needed to confirm these phytochemicals as drugs to combat COVID-19.

Therapeutic Potential of Ayush 64 in Covid-19: An Ayurvedic Perspective

In the human history, a medical emergency has emerged in the form of Covid-19 disease. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome which has become pandemic. The medical treatment of Covid-19 consists of symptomatic management and oxygen supply, with ventilation for patients with acute respiratory failure. There is no specific treatment for Covid-19. Globally, efforts are being made to verify the efficacy of traditional system of medicines to fight against the Covid-19. Ayurveda, the traditional system of Indian medicine, has also number of herbal medicines which can be used to treat the systems of Covid-19. The Ayush-64 drug is used to treat Malaria (Visama Jvara) and it has been developed by CCRAS, Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India. Contents of Ayush 64 drug are: Saptaparna (Alstonia scholaris R. Br.) Bark Aqueous Extract 100 mg; Katuki (Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex. Benth) Root do 100 mg; Kirata tikta (Swertia Chirata (Pexb ex. Karst) Whole plant do 100 mg; and Kaberuka (Caesalpinia crista Linn.) Seed powder 200 mg. This paper intends to understand the drug actions of contents of Ayush 64 according to Ayurvedic point of view.

Evaluation of the Antibacterial Potential of Various Plant Extracts Against Clinically Important Skin Infectious Bacterial Strains

Background: At present, skin problems need to be addressed seriously. Antibiotic resistance development is very fast in skin infectious bacteria. For the prevention of all types of skin infections, natural plant extracts can provide suitable defense lines because they contain active compounds. Wrinkles, sunburn, itching, blackheads, whiteheads, and uneven tone of the skin are some of the issues related to skin. Extensive use of antibiotics for skin diseases is restricted due to the development of worse antibiotic resistance. Objective: In this study, the antibacterial potential of plant extracts was assessed against skin infectious bacteria to get an alternative cure for skin diseases. Methods: Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains were isolated from clinical samples and E.coli was used as a non-pathogenic control strain from the Jinnah University for Women strain repository. Their antibacterial activity was performed against eight plant extracts through a well diffusion method. Results: Among eight plant extracts, Neem (Azadirachta indica), Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Sandalwood (Santalum album), Shahtara (Fumaria parviflora), Chirayata (Swertia chirayita), and commercially available mixed Citrus peel showed good inhibition of bacterial growth. Discussion: Natural sources such as fruits, herbs, minerals, leaves, flowers, roots, honey, and rose water are now becoming part of skin care and treatment products because they possess antimicrobial activities. Conclusion: Skin products with herbal ingredients are now evolving as suitable solutions to the existing skin problems.

Study on Differentiation of Swertia leducii and Its Closely Relative Species Based on Data Fusion of Spectra and Chromatography

Study on Differentiation of Swertia leducii and Its Closely Relative Species Based on Data Fusion of Spectra and Chromatography

Assessment of Nursery Methods and Manures for Cultivation of Chirayita (Swertia chirayita Buch-Ham.) in Lauri Gewog, Bhutan

Chirayita (Swertia chirayita) is a medicinal plant and is native to the temperate Himalayas. It is widely used in traditional and modern medicines with an increased global demand, leading to unsustainable harvesting, causing the decline, and critically endangering the species. Hence, we hypothesized that chirayita could be domesticated and tested this hypothesis at Lauri Gewog in southeastern Bhutan. Four nursery methods and four organic manure treatments were tested using Completely Randomized Design with three replicates. The average seedling density across the four treatments at mid altitude was 2356 seedlings/m2, and that of high altitude was 1202 seedlings/m2. The seedling density at mid altitude was 96% higher compared to that of high altitude; however, there were significant differences between the treatments only in high altitude (P = 0.003) and not in mid altitude. The methods were non-significant at mid altitude, mainly due to the large variability of data. Interestingly, the manure treatments were not significant compared to the control implying that the chirayita could be non-responsive to the application of manures in the study conditions. Fresh weight of chirayita in the control plot was 14, 19 and 29% higher than ‘compost’, ‘FYM’ and ‘compost+FYM (1:1)’ treatment plots. Further, this research provides an alternative low-cost nursery technique for adoption by chirayita farmers while also providing information for policymakers and environmental conservationists in developing strategies for conservation of a critically endangered species like chirayita.

Antimutagenic Effect of Medicinal Plants from Alternative Medicine

Aqueous extracts of Chirayita (Swertia chirayita Linn.) whole herb, Banafshah (Viola odorata Linn.) leaves and flowers and Mameeran (Coptis teeta Roxb.) rhizome were tested for their anti-mutagenic potential by Ames Salmonella Histidine point mutation assay of Maron, et al. with partial modifications as described by Kaur, et al. At a dose of 50 μg/plate, crude drug extracts exhibited the inhibition of His+ revert ants from 36.59% to 96% against direct acting mutagen sodium azide (NaN3) which induced mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium tester strains TA97a, TA98 and TA100. However, at concentrations (5 and 25 µg/ plate) of the plant extracts, a significant decrease in anti-mutagenic activity was recorded. In the present findings, herbal drug extracts at tested concentrations showed no sign of mutagenicity to the tester strains. Potent anti-mutagenic activity of Banafshah was observed followed by Chirayita and Mameeran. Linear regression analysis of the data shows dose dependent anti-mutagenic activity of the extracts. Qualitative analysis reveals the presence of active phytochemical as amarogentin, mangiferin (Chirayita), Cyclotides (Banafshah), Berberine (Mameeran) along with other phyto-constituents flavonoids, phenols in the tested extracts which are responsible for their anti-mutagenic activity.

AN OVERVIEW ON COMBINATION THERAPY FOR MALARIA

"Malaria is one among the premier dangerous illness conditions in the world. Ayurvedic Physicians are treating malaria since antiquated occasions". Portrayal concerning aetiopathogenesis, clinical features and line of the board are unmistakable under "Vishamajvara". Malaria could even be a preventable and treatable infection. The essential goal of therapy is to make sure total fix, that is the fast and full disposal of the Plasmodium parasite from the patient's blood, so on forestall movement of straightforward malaria to serious ailment or passing, and to forestall incessant disease that prompts malaria related to anaemia. Considering its wide force and making drug affirmation from intestinal sickness parasite, CCRAS has built up a polyherbal non-toxic, threatening to malarial solution through wide pharmacological, toxicological and clinical appraisals. This has been named AYUSH-64. Ayush-64 contains four Ayurvedic herbs which are Alstonia scholaris (aqueous bark extract), Picrorhiza kurroa (aqueous rhizome extract), Swertia chirata (aqueous extract of whole plant) and Caesalpinia crista (fine-powdered seed pulp), developed and patented by CCRAS in India around 38 years ago. Present review highlights the Ayurvedic and herbal drugs combination of malaria which provides the new directions of traditional medicines for treating malaria.

Survival, performance and adaptation of Swertia chirayita genotypes at western Himalayan zone of Uttarakhand

An experiment was conducted on 5 Swertia chirayita genotypes: Devvan (G1), Yuksom (G2), Sukhia (3), Kaddukhal (G4) and Kalimpong (G5) at three locations in Uttarakhand: Purara, Gwaldam and Kausani of the lower Himalayan range to study the survival, performance and adaptation during October 2018 to January, 2020. Among the studied locations, Gwaldam, Chamoli (Uttarakhand) was found to be the best for growth and performance of all the genotypes, followed by Kausani and Purara. The genotype G5 (Kalimpong) showed a higher survival rate, performance and adaptability compared to others and can be successfully grown to obtain dry herb in Gwaladam. These results suggest that farmers can practice the cultivation of Swertia chirayita at lower altitude areas of the Himalayan zone.

Anisotine and amarogentin as promising inhibitory candidates against SARS-CoV-2 proteins: a computational investigation

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), presents an unprecedented challenge to global public health with researchers striving to find a possible therapeutic candidate that could limit the spread of the virus. In this context, the present study employed an in silico molecular interaction-based approach to estimate the inhibitory potential of the phytochemicals from ethnomedicinally relevant Indian plants including Justicia adhatoda, Ocimum sanctum and Swertia chirata, with reported antiviral activities against crucial SARS-CoV-2 proteins. SARS-CoV-2 proteins associated with host attachment and viral replication namely, spike protein, main protease enzyme Mpro and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) are promising druggable targets for COVID-19 therapeutic research. Extensive molecular docking of the phytocompounds at the binding pockets of the viral proteins revealed their promising inhibitory potential. Subsequent assessment of physicochemical features and potential toxicity of the compounds followed by robust molecular dynamics simulations and analysis of MM-PBSA energy scoring function revealed anisotine against SARS-CoV-2 spike and Mpro proteins and amarogentin against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp as potential inhibitors. It was interesting to note that these compounds displayed significantly higher binding energy scores against the respective SARS-CoV-2 proteins compared to the relevant drugs that are currently being targeted against them. Present research findings confer scopes to explore further the potential of these compounds in vitro and in vivo towards deployment as efficient SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors and development of novel effective therapeutics. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Plant regeneration through direct and indirect organogenesis, phyto-molecular profiles, antioxidant properties and swertiamarin production in elicitated cell suspension cultures of Swertia minor (Griseb.) Knobl

The present study reports an optimized protocol for high frequency in vitro plant propagation through direct and indirect organogenesis, phytochemical accumulation, molecular profiling and antioxidant evaluation for micropropagated Swertia minor, a promising alternative to industrially important Swertia chirayita. Moreover, the study also aimed at enhancing the production of antidiabetic and anti-obesity drug swertiamarin using an alternative technology of elicitated cell suspension cultures. Different types, concentrations and combination of cytokinins and auxins showed their effects during various in vitro growth stages. A combination of BAP (3.0 mg/l) and TDZ (1.0 mg/l) had a dominant role in promoting multiple shoot proliferation with production of an average of 19.1 ± 0.95 shoots/node in 85% response. MS medium added with IBA (2.0 mg/l) showed optimal response for in vitro rooting (9.2 ± 0.56 roots/shoot). In order to establish genetic stability, molecular marker-based profiling of micropropagated plants were done and 'monomorphic banding pattern were identical to the mother plants. 2,4-D (2.0 mg/l) supported the maximum callus induction and proliferation rate (95%). The wild-grown plants showed higher polyphenols content and antioxidant activities as compared to callus and in vitro derived plantlets. However, chitosan-treated (25 ppm) methanolic extract of cell biomass accumulated in cell suspension cultures produced higher contents of swertiamarin (1.45 mg/g DW) than salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate. The described protocol can be effectively used for the large-scale propagation, exploitation of active compounds and will serve as potential alternative to S. chirayita for fulfillment of over-growing industrial requirements. The present investigation addressed in vitro regeneration, callus culture, somatic embryogenesis, molecular profiling, secondary metabolite production, cell suspension culture studies for first time in Swertia minor.

In Silico Docking, ADMET and QSAR Study of few Antimalarial Phytoconstituents as Inhibitors of Plasmepsin II of P. falciparum Against Malaria

Background: Malaria is endemic in various parts of India particularly in the North- Eastern states with Plasmodium falciparum-the most prevalent human malaria parasite. Plantderived compounds have always received tremendous importance in the area of drug discovery and development and scientific study of traditional medicinal plants are of great importance to mankind. Objective: The present work deals with the computational study of some antimalarial compounds obtained from a few medicinal plants used by the tribal inhabitants of the North-Eastern region of India for treating malaria. Methods: In silico methodologies were performed to study the ligand-receptor interactions. Target was identified based on the pharmacophore mapping approach. A total of 18 plant-derived compounds were investigated in order to estimate the binding energies of the compounds with their drug target through molecular docking using Autodock 4.2. ADMET filtering for determining the pharmacokinetic properties of the compounds was done using Mobyle@RPBS server. Subsequent Quantitative-Structure Activity Relationship analysis for bioactivity prediction (IC50) of the compounds was done using Easy QSAR 1.0. Results: The docking result identified Salannin to be the most potent Plasmepsin II inhibitor while the QSAR analysis identified Lupeol to have the least IC50 value. Most of the compounds have passed the ADME/Tox filtration. Conclusion: Salannin and Lupeol were found to be the most potent antimalarial compounds that can act as successful inhibitors against Plasmepsin II of P. falciparum. The compounds Salannin and Lupeol are found in Azadirachta indica and Swertia chirata plants respectively, abundantly available in the North-Eastern region of India and used by many inhabiting tribes for the treatment of malaria and its symptoms.

A monoclonal antibody-based indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to quantify swertiamarin and related compounds in Swertia japonica Makino.

Swertia japonica Makino (S. japonica) has a long history of use as a folk medicine, and it is one of the three essential Japanese folk medicines. S.japonica has been reported to have various biological activities. The biologically active secoiridoid glycoside swertiamarin (SM) has been isolated from S. japonica. The efficacy of this plant is attributed to SM and related secoiridoid glycosides. To control the quality of S. japonica for medicinal use, a method for the determination of SM and other secoiridoid glycosides in the plant is needed. To produce an anti-SM monoclonal antibody (MAb) and develop an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) for S. japonica standardisation and quality control. SM was conjugated to cationised bovine serum albumin (cBSA), and the SM-cBSA conjugate was used to immunise BALB/c mice. Splenocytes from the immunised mice were then fused with SP2/0 myeloma cells to produce hybridoma cells that expressed anti-SM MAb. The developed icELISA was sufficiently sensitive and had a quantitative range of 0.78 to 12.5 μg/mL. Coefficients of variation below 10% indicated good repeatability. Recoveries in a spike and recovery assay ranged from 91.84% to 115.50%, which confirmed that the icELISA was accurate. The SM content measured using the icELISA was in agreement with the results of a high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) assay. The icELISA is suitable for the high-throughput analysis of SM and other secoiridoid glycosides in S. japonica. The method is fast, economical, and reliable for S. japonica quality control.

A Mixed Phytogenic Modulates the Rumen Bacteria Composition and Milk Fatty Acid Profile of Water Buffaloes.

This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of a mixed phytogenic (MP) on rumen bacteria and their potential association with rumen fermentation and milk yield parameters in water buffaloes. Twenty Murrah buffaloes were fed a basal diet (consisting of maize silage, brewers' grains, and concentrate mixture) for 6 weeks supplemented with 0 (control), 15 (MP15), 25 (MP25), and 35 (MP35) g of mixed phytogenic/buffalo per d. The mixed phytogenic contained fennel (seeds), ajwain (seeds), ginger (tubers), Swertia chirata (leaves), Citrullus colocynthis (fruit), turmeric, fenugreek (seeds), Terminalia chebula (fruit), licorice (roots), and Phyllanthus emblica (fruit) in equal quantities. After 2 weeks of adaptation, daily milk yield, and weekly milk composition were recorded. On the last day of the experiment (d 42), rumen contents were collected to determine rumen fermentation parameters and bacterial diversity through 16S rRNA sequencing. Results revealed no change in dry matter intake, milk yield and rumen fermentation parameters except pH, which increased (P = 0.029) in response to MP supplementation. The mixed phytogenic increased (P < 0.01) milk fatty acids (C4 to C14:0) in MP15 only. The milk C16:1 content and its unsaturation index were higher (P < 0.05) in MP35 as compared to the control and other treatments. Furthermore, C18:3n3 was higher (P < 0.05) in the control, MP15, and MP25, as compared to MP35. Supplementation of MP tended to increase (P = 0.095) the Shannon index of bacterial alpha diversity and a difference (P < 0.05) among treatment groups was observed in beta diversity. Feeding MP increased the Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Spirochaetes but decreased Bacteroidetes numerically. In addition, the dominant genus Prevotella decreased in all treatment groups while Pseudobutyrivibrio, Butyrivibrio, and Succinivibrioanceae increased numerically in MP25 and MP35. The mixed phytogenic promoted groups of rumen bacteria positively associated with milk and fat yield. Overall, our study revealed 14 positive correlations of rumen bacteria with milk yield and eight with rumen fermentation parameters. Our findings reveal substantial changes in the rumen bacteriome composition and milk fatty acid content in response to MP but these results should be interpreted carefully, as the sample size of our study was relatively small.

Present Status Of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh region of Himalayas

The conservation and cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP) are getting more importance. MAPs in India are being collected/cultivated in diverse climatic conditions starting from seacoast to high Himalayas in varied soil conditions. Among them temperate, alpine and cold arid regions of country have vital importance for MAPS. The Northern region Himalayas viz. Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh which represents temperate, alpine and cold arid region zone finds first place in medicinal and aromatic plants conservation/cultivation. It has more than 300 MAP and out of them around 16 very important and prioritized medicinal plants viz., Aconitum heterophyllum, Artemesia absinthium, Picrorhiza kurroa, Swertia chirayita, Saussurea costus, Withania somnifera, Acorus calamus, Atropa acuminata, Berberis aristata, Cathranthus roseus, Dioscorea deltoidea, Taxus wallichiana. Podophyllum hexandrum, Hippophae rhamnoides, Dactylorhiza hatagirea and Arnebia benthamii and aromatic plants viz. Levandula officinalis, Rosmarinus officinalis, Organium vulgare . Thymus serpyllum are exclusive aromatic crops of temperate region with potential to be commercialized. Most of these plants are extracted from wild and have very high demand.

Utilization pattern and indigenous knowledge of wild medicinal plants among three ethnic groups in Makawanpur district, Central Nepal

Ethnopharmacological relevanceIn Nepal, wild plant resources play an important role in local communities’ health care. However, this role and its patterns are poorly studied in many regions of the country. This study aimed at documenting the indigenous knowledge on the use patterns of medicinal plants of three ethnic groups from Makawanpur district, Central Nepal. Materials and methodsEthnobotanical information was collected through interviews with 165 respondents from the Bankaria, Newah and Tamang ethnic groups across five locations of different altitude levels. Botanical voucher samples were collected for scientific identification. Informant consensus factor (ICF) and relative frequency of citation (RFC) were calculated and relationships between knowledge on medicinal plants and location, ethnic group, gender and age of the respondents were analysed. ResultsAltogether, 189 plant species were reported by the respondents. Medicinal plants were mostly collected from forest (130 spp.) and fallow land (49 spp.). Only few species such as Acorus calamus L., Cheilocostus speciosus (J. Koenig) Sm. and Mentha spicata L. were cultivated in homegardens. ICF values highlighted that common diseases treated were disorders of the digestive system, the skin and the respiratory system. Highest RFC values were found for Urtica dioica L., Terminalia chebula Retz. and Swertia chirayita (Roxb. ex Fleming) Karsten. Gender of the respondent had no influence on medicinal plant knowledge while a higher knowledge was detected in rural than urban locations and in those located in the lowlands. Respondents from the Newah ethnic group had significantly lower knowledge on medicinal plants than those from the Bankaria and Tamang ethnic groups. Age of respondents was significantly positively correlated with the reported use number of medicinal plants (r = 0.450; p < 0.001), species number (r = 0.468, p < 0.001) and number of illnesses treated (r = 0.468, p < 0.001). ConclusionsThe knowledge and use patterns of medicinal plant species were related to the location as well as to the ethnic group and age of the respondents. This shows that it is important to cover a wide range of respondents in such a study to cover the different socio-cultural backgrounds and age classes. The presented study can help to identify those medicinal plant species with the highest importance and the highest utilization potential by integrating ethno-botanical information from the different ethnic groups and age classes. The most important medicinal plant species should be considered for pharmacological testing and for domestication.

Pharmacognostic Study and Quantifiction of Active Component (Amarogentin) of Swertia Chirayita by HPLC

The present study deals with comparative pharmacognostic parameters involving moisture content, ash values, extractive values and quantification of active component (Amarogentin) in whole plant of two different sites of Garhwal [Chakrata (CK) and Kaddukhal(KK)] in Uttarakhand of Swertia chirayita have been carried out. The quantification of amarogentin evaluated by HPLC, results indicate that Chakrata site has higher percentage of amarogentin than Kaddukhal site. Adulteration and substitution of medicinal plants can be prohibited by standardization and authentication.

Identification of Tibetan medicine Dida based on DNA barcoding

The purpose of this study was to test the ability of DNA barcoding to identify the herbal raw trade of Tibetan medicine Dida in China. A reference database for plant-material DNA barcodes was successfully constructed and used to identify 36 commercially samples of Dida collected from Southwest China. The ITS sequence was amplified from these samples and the efficiency of the PCR amplification of ITS was 100%. The DNA sequencing results revealed that 3 samples (8.3%) were authenticated as Swertia chirayita, 2 sequences (5.6%) were authenticated as Swertia mussotii, 3 sequences (8.3%) were authenticated as Swertia ciliata, as recorded in the Tibetan Pharmacopeia. The other samples were authenticated as adulterants and all of them originated from common plants belonging to Saxifraga, Swertia and Halenia. This result indicates Dida pieces that are available in the market have complex origins and may indicate a potential safety issue and DNA barcoding is a convenient tool for market supervision.