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.

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

SWERTIA species are widespread in Eastern and Southern Asian countries and used in traditional medicine as anti-pyretic, analgesic, gastro and liver tonic. Among different species, only SWERTIA LONGIFOLIA grows in Iran. In this investigation, antioxidant, cytotoxic and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of S. LONGIFOLIA have been studied. Aerial parts and roots of the plant were collected, dried and extracted with methanol 80% (total extract). Different extracts of the plant were obtained using hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol, methanol: water (1:1) and water, respectively. Cytotoxic activity was determined by MTT assay on MDBK, HepG2, MCF7, HT29 and A549 cell lines. Antioxidant activity was measured by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (AChEI) effect was evaluated based on Ellman’s method in 96-well microplates. The results showed no cytotoxicity of the plant extracts on MDBK, HepG2, MCF7, HT29 and A549 cell lines up to 100 mg/ml. All samples showed radical scavenging activity but methanol extract of aerial parts and ethyl acetate extract of the roots showed the highest effects. Total extract of the roots showed higher AChEI activity than the aerial parts. Among different extracts, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts of the roots and chloroform and methanol: water extracts of the aerial parts were more potent in AChEI assay. It is concluded that aerial parts and roots of the plant are rich in antioxidant agents with no cytotoxicity on selected cell lines up to 100 mg/ml. Moreover, since antioxidant and AChEI activity of compounds play an important role in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disorder, this plant might be a potential candidate for isolation of antioxidant and AChEI compounds which could be used as supportive treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

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.

Introduction: Diabetes is a multifactorial syndrome with high prevalence which may induce serious disorders in the body organs like the liver and kidney. This study aimed to compare the effects of the alcoholic extract of the aerial parts of SWERTIA LONGIFOLIA Boisson blood glucose, lipid profiles and liver and kidney function tests in streptozotocin-induced diabetes.Methods: Thirty five male rats were put into five groups: control, diabetic control and three diabetic experimental groups which were gavaged with alcoholic extract of SWERTIA LONGIFOLIA Boissat doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg BW and glibenclamide at a dose of 10 mg/kg BW, respectively. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. At the end of day 21 blood samples were collected from all groups and the blood factors were measured and analyzed.Results: The levels of creatinine, urea, liver enzymes, cholesterol and low density lipoprotein increased in the diabetic control group compared to the control, while the mentioned factors in the groups receivingSWERTIA LONGIFOLIA Boiss alcoholic extract decreased significantly (P<0.05). In the experimental group receiving glibenclamide, the levels of creatinine, urea and lipid profiles also decreased, while the levels of liver enzymes and insulin significantly increased (P<0.05).Conclusion: The consumption of the alcoholic extract of the aerial parts of SWERTIA LONGIFOLIA Boissby lowering lipid profiles, liver enzymes, creatinine and urea as well as increasing insulin levels had beneficial effects on the hepatic and renal functions and could alleviate the symptoms of increased glucose and hyperlipidemia in diabetic rats.

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.

Mentha LONGIFOLIA (L.) Hudson from labiatae family has different varities. In present study we selected Mentha LONGIFOLIA (L.) Hudson var. kermanansis and Mentha LONGIFOLIA (L.) Hudson var. kotschiana, which cultivated in Research station of Alborz (Karadj). The volatile oil extracted from plant by steam distillation method and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The major constituents obtained from M LONGIFOLIA (L.) Hudson var. kermanansis in flower oil were piperitenone oxide (44.3%), piperitone (25.3%)and piperitenone (10.6%) and in leaf oil were, piperitenone oxide (45.7%), piperitone (30.6%), piperitenone (5.6%), and for M LONGIFOLIA (L.) Hudson var. kotschiana in flower oil were piperitone (58.2%), 1,8-cineole (26.7%) and piperitenone oxide (4.6%) and in leaf oil were piperitone (64%) and 1,8-cineole (28.4%).