What is it?
An extract of the whole plant of chiretta, Swertia chirata (also called Swertia chirayita), an herb in the gentian family that grows at high altitudes in the Himalayas. It is known for its intensely bitter taste, which comes from compounds such as amarogentin, swertiamarin and swerchirin. It has a long history in Ayurvedic and other traditional medicine. In cosmetics the EU ingredient database lists it as a humectant, an ingredient that helps skin hold on to moisture.
Key information
- Chiretta's bitterness comes largely from amarogentin, described as the most bitter compound isolated to date.
- Its medicinal use is documented in the Indian pharmaceutical codex, the British and American pharmacopoeias, and Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha medicine.
- A 2016 review found no reports of serious side effects or toxicity but said formal safety testing is still lacking.
- Overharvesting and habitat loss have left the plant critically endangered in the wild, according to a 2016 review.
More information
Chiretta grows on moist, shady slopes in the Himalayas between about 1,200 and 2,100 meters, from Kashmir to Bhutan. It is used in Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha medicine as infusions, decoctions and tinctures taken by mouth, and a paste of the plant is also applied to the skin in traditional practice. Its main active compounds include xanthones and bitter secoiridoids such as amarogentin and swertiamarin.
Safety data are thin. A 2016 review in Frontiers in Pharmacology found that no serious side effects or toxicity had been reported and that chiretta extracts caused no obvious toxic effects in mice, but it concluded that formal toxicity and mutagenicity testing is still needed. A 2020 review reached a similar conclusion, noting that the lack of safety evidence has held back wider use in people. We found no safety review by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) or the EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, no published skin irritation or allergy tests of the extract, and no reports of skin reactions to it. Its EU cosmetic ingredient listing (CosIng) carries no restrictions.
Supply is a real concern. Rising demand and illegal overharvesting, together with habitat destruction, have made chiretta critically endangered in the wild under IUCN criteria, according to the 2016 review, which also notes that demand has led to unscrupulous collection and adulteration of supplies. On labels, the extract appears as Swertia Chirata Extract.
Sources: European Commission CosIng: Swertia Chirata Extract; Frontiers in Pharmacology (2016): A review of Swertia chirayita (Gentianaceae) as a traditional medicinal plant; Natural Products and Bioprospecting (2020): Utilization of Swertia chirayita plant extracts for management of diabetes and associated disorders
