Swertia.

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Re: Swertia or Gentax?
From: Michael Moore <hrbmoore.rt66.com>
Date: 12 Aug 1995 03:24:29 GMT

>I have been trying to find a number of products. One I wrote of before (and thankfully received some helpful hints) is "Chiang huo." Another which I have had no luck in tracking is made up of an herb called "Swertia."

The Swertia genus (as well as its closely related genus of Frasera) is a member of the Gentian Family (Gentianeae), and includes such older crude drugs as Chiretta and American Colombo. All the Swertias or Fraseras I have encountered or used are pure bitter tonics...that is, they stimulate by reflex gastric and oral secretions when taken shortly before meals...in those with DEFICIENT SECRETIONS.

As "pure bitters" they are considered as lacking in any pronounced systemic physiologic response...they work by tasting REAAALLY bad, and not by any overt drug effect.

Michael Moore (hrbmoore.rt66.com)