Kiratatikta
Swertia chirayita
Kiratatikta (Swertia chirayita) is a plant drug, also called Bhunimba, Kirata and Kirataka. Xanthones (swertianin, mangiferin) have lower bioavailability (15-20%) due to low aqueous solubility. Piperine co-administration enhances xanthone absorption by 40%. Nano-emulsion formulations of amarogentin show 3-fold improved bioavailability.
| Botanical name | Swertia chirayita |
|---|---|
| Family | Gentianaceae |
| Order | Gentianales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 7419749 · Wikidata Q21318003 · NCBI Taxonomy 137887 |
| Sanskrit | Bhunimba, Kirata, Kirataka, Kiratatiktaka |
|---|---|
| Hindi | Chirayata |
| English | Chireta |
| Tamil | Nilavembu |
| Malayalam | Kirayathu, Nelaveppu, Nilamakanjiram |
| Telugu | Nelavemu |
| Kannada | Chirata Kaddi, Chirayat, Nalebevu |
| Marathi | Kaduchiraita, Kiraita |
| Bengali | Chirata |
| Gujarati | Kariyatu, Kariyatun |
| Urdu | Chiraita |
| Punjabi | Chiretta |
| Oriya | Chireita |
| Assamese | Chirta |
| Kashmiri | Chiraita, Lose |
Source: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. How we source.
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 2000 to 2026, 11 with a DOI.
- 8Other clinical studies and reviews
- 4Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Kiratatikta |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Tikta | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu, Ruksha | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Sheeta | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Capsule, Tablet, Ghana Vati (solid extract tablet), Tincture
Standard Dosage: 1-3 g powder twice daily; 30-50 mL decoction; 500 mg capsule twice daily; Ghana Vati: 250-500 mg twice daily
Optimal Timing: Before meals (30 minutes) for appetite stimulation and digestive enzyme activation
Storage: Store in airtight, moisture-proof containers at 15-25°C. Secoiridoid glycosides are relatively stable. Protect from light. Tinctures in amber glass bottles.
Marker Compounds: Amarogentin, Swertiamarin, Swertianin, Mangiferin, Swerchirin, Gentiopicrin, Oleanolic acid, Ursolic acid
Synergistic Combinations
- Kutki (Picrorhiza) for comprehensive hepatoprotective formulation
- Guduchi, traditionally combined in fever and liver formulations
- Nimba, traditionally paired in fever formulations
- Haritaki for digestive and antipyretic combination
- Bhumyamalaki, traditionally combined in liver formulations
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Other clinical studies and reviews8
- 2023. Swertia chirayita: A comprehensive review on traditional uses, phytochemistry, quality assessment and pharmacologyJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 36113678 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2022.115714
- 2020. Utilization of Swertia chirayita Plant Extracts for Management of Diabetes and Associated Disorders: Present Status, Future Prospects and LimitationsNatural products and bioprospecting. PMID 33118125 · doi:10.1007/s13659-020-00277-7
- 2019. Amarogentin as Topical Anticancer and Anti-Infective Potential: Scope of Lipid Based Vesicular in its Effective DeliveryRecent patents on anti-infective drug discovery. PMID 30210007 · doi:10.2174/1574891X13666180913154355
- 2018. Production from both wild harvest and cultivation: The cross-border Swertia chirayita (Gentianaceae) tradeJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 29960022 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2018.06.033
- 2017. Swertia chirata: A Comprehensive Review with Recent AdvancesCurrent pharmaceutical biotechnology. PMID 29076426 · doi:10.2174/1389201018666171026153515
- 2015. A Review of Swertia chirayita (Gentianaceae) as a Traditional Medicinal PlantFrontiers in pharmacology. PMID 26793105 · doi:10.3389/fphar.2015.00308
- 2010. Highlighting the anti-carcinogenic potential of an ayurvedic medicinal plant, Swertia ChirataAsian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP. PMID 21338178
- 2000. Review on some plants of Indian traditional medicine with antioxidant activityJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 10904144 · doi:10.1016/s0378-8741(00)00213-0
Laboratory and animal studies4
- 2026. Swertia chirayita ameliorates MAFLD by improving intestinal microenvironment and hepatic lipogenesisJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 41802510 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2026.121471
- 2024. Compositional analysis of Swertia chirayita medicinal plant using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and ICP-MSPloS one. PMID 39302984 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0309647
- 2024. Biochemical characterization of bioinspired nanosuspensions from Swertia chirayita extract and their therapeutic effects through nanotechnology approachPloS one. PMID 38330034 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0293116
- 2021. Swertia chirayita suppresses the growth of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells and concomitantly induces apoptosis via downregulation of JAK1/STAT3 pathwaySaudi journal of biological sciences. PMID 34764752 · doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.06.085
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
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