Chirayta

September 18th, 2006

Other Names:Chirayata, Kirata-tikta, Kiryat-charayatahBhunimba, Bhuchiretta, Charayatah, Chiraita, Indian Gentian, Jwaran- thakah, Kirata, kiraita, Kiriath, Kiriyattu, Kiryat-charayatah, Mahatita, Nila-vemu, Nila-vembu, Qasabuz-Zarirah

This herb is indigenous to temperate Himalayas at altitudes above 4000 feet from Kashmir, Nepal and Bhutan. It is sometimes found in other parts or India. Tinnevelly ‘nilavembu’ is the best form of the herb

When the flowering is well advanced the entire plant is collected, dried, and packed into bundles, which are sometimes compressed before exportation. The drug consists chiefly of the stem, which is of a dark purplish-brown colour, quite glabrous, and contains a large continuous pith. In the upper part it branches freely, bearing numerous fruits and flowers, together with a few opposite leaves with prominent curving lateral veins. The fruits are bicarpellary but unilocular, and contain numerous minute brownish seeds. The root is short, stout, and oblique. All parts of the herb have an intensely bitter taste. Various other species of Swertia (e.g., S. angustifolia, Buch.-Ham. S. alata, Royle ; S. trichotoma, Wall. have been found mixed with or substituted for chiretta. From these the genuine drug may be distinguished by its dark colour, intensely bitter taste, and continuous pith. Andrographis Paniculata, Nees , which has been offered as chiretta, has dark green stems with numerous slender erect opposite branches, few lanceolate green leaves, and a fibrous root. The roots of Rubia cordifolia, Linn. are also occasionally mixed with chiretta; they are readily distinguished by their purple colour.

Constituents.â€”The plant contains the two bitter principles, ophelic acid and chiratin. The latter occurs in the larger proportion, and yields, by boiling with hydrochloric acid, chiratogenin and ophelic acid, but no sugar. Neither ophelic acid nor chiratin has been obtained in crystals.

Medical Uses:
Bitter tonic, stomachic, febrifuge and anthelmintic, appetizer, laxative,
alterative, antidiarrhoeic and antiperiodic.

Action and Uses in Ayurveda and Siddha:
Tikta-rasam, metha veeryam, lagu, ruksham. In sannipatham, swasam, kasam, raktadosham, trishna sodham, kushtam, jwaram, krimi
Chiretta owes its action to its bitterness; it is used in dyspepsia to improve the appetite. At one time it was believed to exert a specific action upon the liver, but there is no evidence to confirm this. It is usually administered in the form of infusion. The preparations of chiretta are without tannin, and may, therefore, be prescribed with iron. Chiretta and kreat (Andrographis) are active ingredients of many advertised bitters. Chiratin has been used in powder form, diluted with milk sugar, but the liquid preparations of chiretta are usually preferred.

Action and Uses in Unani: Tonic to heart, liver and eyes, resolvent, drying, astringent, liquifying, balgham, cough, scanty urine, melancholia, dropsy, sciatia, skin diseases.
According to G. K. Nair and M. Mohanan, authors of “Medicinal Plants of India,” this herb is an excellent drug for:

intermittent fevers

skin diseases

intestinal worms

bronchial asthma

burning of the body

regulating the bowels

An infusion of the herb made in hot water with aromatics like cloves, cinnamon etc. is given in doses of half to one fluid ounce. Ayurvedic practitioners often prescribe this infusion in doses of two ounces twice a day before meals as a tonic to check hiccup and vomiting

(Extracted from:http://www.isourcecenter.com/results.php?&q=chirata and http://www.holistic-online.com/Herbal-Med/_Herbs/h139.htm)