Swertia japonica

Basnet P, Kadota S, Shimizu M, Namba T. (1994) Belhdifolin A potent hypoglycemic agent in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats from Swertia japonica. Planta Med 60 507-511. 

Swertia japonica (Gent.) Deschampsia antarctica (Gram.)... 

The whole plant of Swertia japonica Makino (Gentianaceae) is an important bitter stomachic in Japan where it is called "senburi". The plant is also claimed to be effective in the treatment of hepatitis (57). Components of this plant such as the bitter secoiridoids (58-63), phenyl glucosides (64), flavonoids (65) and xanthones (66-68) have been intensively studied mainly by Japanese researchers but, to date, there are few reports on the production of these constituents in vitro. Callus culture produced no bitter principles (secoiridoids) (69, 70), xanthones and flavones but coumarin derivatives, scopoletin and its glucoside were detected (71). 

Wig NN Indian concepts of mental health and their impact on care of the mentally ill. International Journal of Mental Health 18 71-80,1989 Wolffers I Traditional practitioners behavioral adaptations to changing patients demands in Sri Lanka. Soc Sci Med 29 1111-1119,1989 Yamahara J, Kobayashi M, Matsuda H Anticholinergic action of Swertia japonica and an active constituent. J Ethnopharmacol 33 31-35,1991... 

The Japanese group (96) showed that the UV spectrum of gentianidine (263 nm) was very similar to that of methyl nicotinoate (264 nm) rather than methyl isonicotinoate (275 nm), which fixed the orientation of the lactone group. Comparison of the H NMR spectrum with dihydrogentia-nine (82) also indicated that rather than two pyridine a-protons, gentianidine had only one. The artifactual nature of both gentianidine (79) and gentianine (81) in Swertia japonica was established (93). 

Eryt h roce n ta u ri n, 3,4-Dihydro-Z-oxo-iH-2-i>en-zopyran-5-carboxaldehyde 5-formy 1-3,4-dihydroisocouma-rin 5 -formyl-3,4-dihydro-1H-2-benznpyi an -1 -one, C,0-H,0, mol wt 176.16. C 68.18%, H 4.58%, O 27.25%. From Centaurium umbellalum Gilib., (Erythraea centaurium Pers.), Gentianaceae or Swertia japonica (Maxim.) Makino, Gentianaceae. By hydrolysis of swertiamarin and erytaurin with emulsin. lsoln Kariyone. Matsushima, J. Pharm. Soc. Japan 47, 25 (1927). Structure Kubota, Tomita, Chem. Ind. (London) 1958, 230 Kubota el of., Tetrahedron Letters 1961, 223, Synthesis Wenkert et of., J. Org. Chem. 29, 2534 (1964). 

Inouye H, Ueda S, Nakamura Y (1966) Struktur des swerosids, eines neuen glucosides aus Swertia japonica makino. Tetrahedron Lett 7 5229-5234... 

Ikeshiro Y, Tomita Y (1985) Iridoid glucoside of Swertia japonica. Planta Med 51 390-393... 

Constit. of Swertia japonica and S. purpurascens Gaillardia anstata and G. pulchella Gentiana campestris and the aerial parts of G. german/caand G. ramosa leaves of Achillea genus of Dipsacaceae spp. and petalsof Iris japonica. Pale-yellow needles (H2O). Mp 243° dec. [a] ... 

Hikino H, Kiso Y, Kubota M, Hattori M et al. 1984 Antihepatotoxic principles of Swertia japonica herb. Shoyakugaku Zasshi 38 359-360... 

Swertisin was isolated from the whole herb of Swertia japonica Makino (Gentianaceae). Further, hydrolytic decomposition of its dimethyl ether with aqueous barium hydroxide gave a degradation product, the 3-C-fl-D-glucopyranosyl-6-hydroxy-2,4-dimethoxyacetophenone. This one, by treatment with an excess of aqueous periodic acid followed by Clemmensen reduction gave 6-hydroxy-2,4-dimethoxy-3-methylacetophenone [3288]. 

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