Tibetan chiretta / zang yin chen
Swertia mussotii
Safety information
Safety information
Toxicity: Low-uncertain at traditional doses; bitter. Not fully characterised.
Contraindications: Pregnancy data insufficient; caution in biliary obstruction; gastric hyperacidity (bitter).
Interactions: Not well documented; theoretical interaction with hepatically-cleared drugs.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Pregnancy data insufficient.
Evidence level
Supported by laboratory or animal studies; not yet confirmed in humans.
Preparations
powder · whole herb
Part used: whole herb
pill · whole herb
Part used: whole herb
decoction · whole herb
Part used: whole herb
Traditional use: high-Plateau bile-heat/liver drug; jaundice, hepatitis, gallbladder heat; widely substituted for S. chirayita
Proposed mechanism: secoiridoid glycosides (swertiamarin, sweroside, gentiopicroside), xanthones, flavonoids — FXR activation with relief of cholestasis, oxidative-stress reduction
Associated conditions
Nutritional notes
Not nutritional; bioactives are secoiridoids + xanthones.
Healing traditions
Sources (3)
- Li et al. 2018, Tibetan liver-disease review (PMID 29441019)
- Yun et al. 2019, Comb Chem High Throughput Screen (PMID 31692440)
- Dong et al. 2024, Int J Mol Sci (PMID 39408937)