Pharmacognostic and Conservational Overview of Swertia chirata Buch.- Ham. ex Wall., A Critically Endangered Himalayan Herb

Background: Swertia chirata Buch.-Ham. ex Wall. is an endangered medicinal herb native to the temperate Himalayan region. The species holds immense ethnobotanical importance in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. The herb is known to host a plethora of bioactive phytoconstituents that imbue it with a wide variety of medicinal properties. Modern research has proven that extracts of S. chirata possess antioxidative, anticarcinogenic, antimalarial, anti-infl ammatory and hypoglycaemic activities. The present article aims at highlighting the medicinal importance of S. chirata along with a brief discussion about its bioactive phytoconstituents. The research work carried out for improving the germplasm conservation strategies for S. chirata have also been elucidated in this review.