Background: Swertia spp. (GENTIANACEAE) grow widely in eastern and southern Asian countries such as Japan, China and India and are used as traditional remedy for gastrointestinal complains because of their bitter principles. Several studies have been carried out on hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, mono amino oxidase inhibitory and antidepressant effects of these plants and it has been shown that xanthones and iridoids are responsible for their activities. Purpose of the study: In order to gain better knowledge of endemic plants of Flora Iranica, Swertia longifolia Boiss. growing in the northern parts of Iran, was subjected to phytochemical studies. Methods: Dried and milled aerial parts of the plant were extracted with petroleum ether and ethanol of which results of petroleum ether extract has been reported previously. For purification of ethanol extract, it was acidified with acetic acid and subsequently extracted with chloroform and then with n-butanol. The n-butanol extract was analyzed using different chromatographic methods and the structures of the isolated components were established by means of spectroscopic techniques. Results: Four components including an iridoid glycoside (loganic acid), a secoiridoid glycoside (gentiopicroside), a secoiridoid dilactone (gentiolactone) and a nucleoside (uridine) were isolated from n-butanol extract of the plant. Major conclusion: Similar to other species of Swertia, iridoid and secoiridoid glycosides could be considered as major constituents of Swertia longifolia Boiss.

Swertia longifolia, from the GENTIANACEAE family, grows in various regions of the world and is used in traditional and modern medicine to treat many diseases. The present study aimed to systematically review the physiological-pharmacological effects of this plant and its compounds. To conduct this scoping review, articles published in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ProQest, Cochrane, SID, and Magiran databases were searched, using the keyword S. longifolia, on 18th March, 2023 to find relevant articles. S. longifolia contains effective compounds such as xanthones, iridoid glycosides, flavonoids, and triterpenoids, which have antioxidant, anti-cholinesterase, and anti-cytotoxic properties. Moreover, the extract of this plant and its compounds have anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, and hypolipidemic properties and can inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Given the effects of the extract and compounds of S. longifolia in the treatment of various diseases, it seems that clinical trials as well as more advanced studies should be conducted on each of the compounds of the plant which will be considered as new candidates for drug development in the future.

Background: The objective of this study is to develop a new animal model based on signalingpathways to understand the pathophysiology, therapy of depression, and to investigate theantidepressant activity of Enicostemma littorale which is not yet established.Methods: Animal models of depression were raised by physical methods and administration ofmethyl isobutyl ketone (100 mg/kg b.w., i.p.,) and a protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, sodiumorthovanadate (30 mg/kg b.w., i.p.,) to young Wistar rats. E. littorale aqueous extract (100 mg/kgb.w., oral) was administered. Forced swimming test (FST), biochemical, and histopathologicalparameters were performed with reference to fluoxetine (20 mg/kg b.w., oral) treatment.Results: High‑performance thin‑layer chromatography confirmed the presence of swertiamarin, a unique glycoside present in the GENTIANACEAE family. FST indicated high rates of immobility indepressed groups and low rates in plant extract‑administered group with reference to fluoxetine.Biochemical assays indicated significantly (P<0.05) increased levels of total protein, superoxidedismutase, triglycerides, and total serum cholesterol, whereas significant reduction (P<0.05)of glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and lipid peroxidation in plant extract‑administered groups incomparison to the depressed groups. Histopathological analysis indicated disorganized neuronalarchitecture during depression whereas rejuvenation of neuronal patterns was observed duringtreatment with plant extract and fluoxetine.Conclusions: This study shows that sodium orthovanadate induces depression in animals andalso establishes the antidepressant activity of E. littorale.

Plants of the genus Swertia (GENTIANACEAE) have been used in traditional medicine for many years. These herbs taste extremely bitter and have been mainly used for the treatment of hepatic, choleric and inflammatory diseases such as hepatitis, cholecystitis, pneumonia, osteomyelitis, dysentery, scabies, spasm, pain and neurastenia. In this genus, many components such as iridoids, xanthones, flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds and so on have been isolated and their biological activities investigated. They were described as antidepressant, antipsychotic, antidiabetic and hepatoprotective. It is also reported that xanthones and xanthone glycosides are most active compounds. Because of these biological abilities and in our course to a better knowledge of endemic plants of Flora Iranica, Swertia longifolia (Boiss.) that grows in the northern parts of Iran was studied. Dried and milled aerial parts of plant were continuously extracted in a soxhlet apparatus with petroleum ether (bp. 60-80) and then with ethanol. Ethanolic extract after concentration was poured into aqueous acetic acid 4% and filtered. The clarified acidic aqueous solution was subsequently extracted with chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-buthanol. N-buthanol extract was chromatographed over Sephadex LH-20 and eluted with methanol. The main fractions were chromatographed on Silica and then C18. This process yielded 7 components. They were identified as 1 iridoid glycoside, 1 secoiridoid glycoside, 2 xanthones and 2 xanthone glycosides by means of their UV, MS, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR data. Since there are xanthones and xanthone glycosides in Swertia longifolia, it is expected that this plant has interesting pharmacological activities

a-Amylase inhibitors play a critical role in the control of diabetes and many of medicinal plants have been found to act as a-amylase inhibitors. Swertia genus, belonging to the family GENTIANACEAE, comprises different species most of which have been used in traditional medicine of several cultures as antidiabetic, anti-pyretic, analgesic, liver and gastrointestinal tonic. Swertia longifolia Boiss. is the only species of Swertia growing in Iran. In the present investigation, phytochemical study of S. longifolia was performed and a-amylase inhibitory effects of the plant fractions and purified compounds were determined. Aerial parts of the plant were extracted with hexane, chloroform, methanol and water, respectively. The components of the hexane and chloroform fractions were isolated by different chromatographic methods and their structures were determined by 1H NMR and 13C NMR data. a-Amylase inhibitory activity was determined by a colorimetric assay using 3, 5-dinitro salysilic acid. During phytochemical examination, a-amyrin, b-amyrin and b-sitosterol were purified from the hexane fraction, while ursolic acid, daucosterol and swertiamarin were isolated from chloroform fraction. The results of the biochemical assay revealed a-amylase inhibitory activity of hexane, chloroform, methanol and water fractions, of which the chloroform and methanol fractions were more potent (IC50 16.8 and 18.1 mg/ml, respectively). Among examined compounds, daucosterol was found to be the most potent a-amylase inhibitor (57.5% in concentration 10 mg/ml). With regard to a-amylase inhibitory effects of the plant extracts, purified constituents, and antidiabetic application of the species of Swertia genus in traditional medicine of different countries, S. longifolia seems more appropriate species for further mechanistic antidiabetic evaluations.