Swertia chirayita in Nepal Himalayas: Cultivation and Cross Border Trade to China

For ethnic inhabitants in the rural areas, medicinal plants are not only the cultural, sacred medicinal ingredients of traditional medicine, part of traditional belief and biodiversity but also an important cash crop to support their livelihood. With the commercialization of traditional medicine and medicinal plant-based industries worldwide, Nepalese medicinal plants are in high demand. This photo essay presents the various steps from the cultivation to the cross-border trade of Swertia chirayita (Roxb.) H. Karst., a traditional valuable medicinal plant, and a beautiful landscape of Nepal-China border. The essay contains fourteen photographs each described with captions in detail with the information collected during field work. The ethnographic study on cross border trade of medicinal plants was conducted in 2020 at Bhotkhola routes in the northeastern Nepal. Bhotkhola-Tibet border control in 2008 has politically ruptured the original link of traditional exchange among people, goods, and ideas by displacing the community from its everyday borderlands. However, the cross border trade is performed by traditional networks of Bhotiya communities such as rural ethnic inhabitants, farmers, small budget dealers, and traditional practitioners through formal and informal supply chains. The government authorities from both the countries are responsible for regulating, monitoring, and permitting medicinal plants supply from harvesters to cross-border traders.

Estimation of Amarogentin content and standardization of different samples of Chirata collected from crude drug markets of Nepal

Background: Amarogentin is a major chemical constituent of bitter principle found in Swertia chirayita (Roxb.ex Fleming) Karsten; family Gentianaceae. Chirata is an endangered species because of it’s over exploitation for pharmaceutical industries. These species are mainly found in the Himalayas and used for gastritis, diabetes, jaundice, urinary disorders, liver disorders, etc. The bitter principle as a main indicator of the medical herb, Nowadays, other species of Swertia are substituted and traded by the name of Chirata. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to estimate Amarogentin and to standardize Chirata samples collected from different markets of Nepal in 2013 A.D. Method and Materials: Different market samples of the species were analyzed for foreign matter, moisture content, extractive values; and bitter principles i.e. Amarogentin by using UFLC at Pacific Analytical Laboratory and Training Center, Lalitpur, Nepal. Result: The findings revealed that foreign matter, moisture content, extractive values; and bitter principles i.e. Amarogentin content varied with different market samples. Methonolic extraction yielded higher percentage of extracts than that of chloroform extraction. Samples including more root and stem, in general, contained higher Amarogentin than samples containing more leaves. The samples containing higher moisture content were lesser in Amarogentin content. The finding of Amarogentin of sample collected from Charikot, Dolkha was 3mg/100gm.Conclusion: In this study, the findings suggest that sample collected from local market of Charikot, Dolkha district was Swertia chirayita and was the best quality.

Effect of Nitrogen on in Vitro Propagation of Endangered Medicinal Plant: Swertia Chirayita Roxb. Ex Flaming

The effect of nitrogen was investigated on the organogenesis of Swertia chirayita (Gentianaceae) to overcome the challenges related to its cultivation. The best callogenic response was observed on root explants inoculated onto MS medium supplemented with BAP (2.0 mg/l) along with 2,4-D (0.5 mg/l) after 35 days of culture. Subsequent transfer of callus for multiplication on the same media composition under complete darkness presents the best results in terms of callus multiplication. Callogenic cultures were subculture onto modified MS medium supplemented with inorganic nitrogen sources, i.e., NH4NO3 (14-56N/l), KNO3 (100-400N/l) with BAP (3.0 mg/l) were observed. Organogenic response (52%) was observed after 8-12 weeks of culturing. The maximum number of the shoot was recorded on MS medium with NH4NO3 (28 N/l), KNO3 (300N/l) with BAP (3.0 mg/l). Moreover, 90% of them were able to regrow when sub-cultured on the same media. Sixteen weeks old multiple shoots were subcultured on MS medium supplemented with different auxins. IAA was proved to be the best hormone rooting purpose. However, the best rooting response regarding the number of roots and an average length of roots was obtained at IAA (1.0 mg/l). Survival of 90% was achieved when rooted plantlets were successfully established in substrate containing sand, vermicompost, and garden soil in equal proportion for hardening and acclimatized.

PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY ANALYSIS OF SWERTIA CHIRAYITA AND ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM PLANT EXTRACTS

The Swertia chirayita and Artemisia absinthium (Afsanteen) plants extracts were evaluated for phytochemicals and their antimicrobial activity against 3 bacteria and 2 fungal strains by using the disc diffusion technique. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, saponins, and terpenoids in Swertia chirayita while in Artemisia absinthium only saponins, terpenoids were present. To a very small extent tannins were present in the ethanolic extract of Afsanteen. But both plant extracts gave negative results for the presence of cardiac glycosides. Antibacterial activity of Swertia chirayita and Afsanteen plant extracts were screened against 3 bacterial strains (E. coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas syringola) and 2 fungal strains (Aspergillus niger and Fusarium Solani). Ampicillin was used as a standard drug for antibacterial and antifungal activity. Results showed that Afsanteen and chirayita extracts showed activity against bacterial strains except for chirayita n-hexane and ethanol extract for Bacillus subtilis and Chirayita n-hexane extract for Pseudomonas syringola. A maximum zone of inhibition was noticed for chirayita ethanol extract against Pseudomonas syringola. But both plant extracts showed zero activity against fungal strains except Chirayita acetone extract against Fusarium solani while chirayita ethanol extract against Aspergillus niger. Both extracts of plants gave concentration-dependent activity. It was concluded that the presence of antimicrobial activity for both plant extracts indicated that is due to the presence of phytochemical compounds.

Bioactivites of Penicillium citrinum isolated from a medicinal plant Swertia chirayita

Endophytes associated with plants have the property to produce active biomolecules with their possible applications in agro-industrial sectors. This study provides a project work on analyzing various activities of fungal endophytes isolated from Swertia chirayita of Sikkim Himalayan region. Among several fungal endophytes screened, isolate UTCRF6 was found most active with the secretion of enzymes protease, cellulase, amylase and chitinase, as well as other metabolites Indoleacetic acid and siderophores. This endophyte was found active in restricting the growth of phyto-pathogens, including strains of Fusarium solani, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Alternaria alternata, Pestalotiopsis theae and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Morphological and molecular studies of this endophytic fungus showed similarity with Penicillium citrinum. Graphic abstract