• Rajeev Ranjan Kumar
• Vaishali Chandola
• Jaidev Chauhan
• P.Prasad
• V.K. Purohit

Swertia speciosa is one of the most important substitutes of Swertia chirayita , which belongs to family Gentianaceae . It is a perennial herb and distributed in marshy localities of timber zone in the Himalayan region to Bhutan between 2240 and 4000 m asl. This species had been reported to contain bioactive compounds like i.e. xanthone, antioxidants, amaroswerin, amarogentin and urosolic acid as in S. chirayita. These major bioactive compounds of S. speciosa play significant role as hepatoprotective, anti-hepatotoxic, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-leprosy, hypoglycemic, antimalarial and anti-tumor. As S. chirayita is a critically endangered medicinal plant and is now on the verge of extinction and original populations at many places have been vanishing due to high demand of Pharmaceutical industries, traditional use and the developmental human activities. Keeping this in view, large scale propagation of S. speciosa should be taken up immediately by developing appropriate technologies as this species is an alternate source of many valuable bioactive compounds which were found in S. chirayita.

S. speciosa, S. chirayita substitute, Bioactive compounds, Biological activity, Cultivation and Conservation.

" Medicinal Importance Swertia speciosa (WALL D.DON:) A Review.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no.693-703, June-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1908C90.pdf

" Medicinal Importance Swertia speciosa (WALL D.DON:) A Review.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no. pp693-703, June-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1908C90.pdf