Common Name: Semburi

General Information

Swertia japonica is an annual to biennial plantwith stems that are unbranched or branched from the base; it can grow around 5 - 40cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine, as an ingredient in commercial cosmetics, and perhaps also occasionally as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - southern Korea, Japan.

Habitat

Sunny slopes and thickets in lowland and hills all over Japan; at elevations up to 1,700 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.20 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Swertia species are generally plants of moderate to high elevations where they are often found on damp slopes and humus-rich, peat mosses. They grow best in areas with cool summers and perennial species are generally cold-hardy to temperatures down to around -15°c[].
Succeeds in a moist humus-rich soil in damp light woodlands, streamsides or the bog garden[]. Grows best in areas with cool summers[].
The plant is monocarpic, living for one to three years before flowering and dying after it flowers[].
It is cultivated as a medicinal herb in China[].
It requires a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria[].

Edible Uses

The leaves might be edible cooked as a potherb[].

Medicinal

The whole plant is bitter and stomachic[, ]. It is also reported to show hair tonic, antimicrobial and antitumor activity[]. The plant is used in the treatment of digestive disorders.

The plant has been shown to have a potent hypoglycaemic effect, the active principle being a xanthone 'bellidifoline', and to also exert a protective action upon the liver mainly due to the activity of the compound tetrahydroswertianolin[].

Other Uses

An extract of the plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a sin conditioner[].
The dried and powdered plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a humectant and skin conditioner[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in trays in spring in a humus-rich medium in temperatures not exceeding 10°c[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer.