Chiretta is an annual plant commonly found in the temperate Himalayan forests of Nepal. Chiretta is derived from ‘kirata’ meaning bitter. Also known as Nepalanimba ‘The Nepalese bitter’.This bitter herb is renowned for cleansing the blood and liver of inflammation.
Benefits of Chiretta: Hyperdipsia, burning sensation, wounds, ulcers, chronic fever, malarial and intermittent fevers, pruritis, inflammations, cough, bronchitis, skin diseases, leprosy, intestinal worms, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, diarrhoea, dysentery, haemorrhoids, difficulty in breathing, hemopathy, oedema, thirst, fever, ulcer, acidity, liver diseases.
Action: Bitter tonic, febrifuge, expectorant, alterative, cholagogue, anti-inflammatory, vermifuge.
Scientific name: Swertia chirata.
Useful part: Whole plant.
Dosage: 250mg–3g per day.
Energetics
Rasa (taste): Bitter
Vırya(energy): Cooling
Vipaka (post-digestive effect): Pungent
Guna (quality): Light, dry,flowing
Dosa effect: PK−, V+
Dhatu (tissue): Plasma, blood
Srotas (channel): Digestive, respiratory
Classical and common names
Ayurvedic: Kiraata,Kairaata, Kiraataka, Kandatikta, Kiraatatikta, Kiraatatiktaka, Katutikta, Trinnimba, Bhuunimba, Aranyatikta, Raamasenaka.
English: Chiretta