Swertia mussotii: primary active components and biosynthetic regulation

Swertia mussotii Franch. is a biennial herb of the family Gentianaceae and a key medicinal herb used in the treatment of liver and gallbladder disorders. Its medicinal value derives from its rich secondary metabolites, and enhancing phytochemical content through biotechnological methods is a major focus in current traditional Chinese medicine research. This review summarizes the phytochemical constituents and their mechanisms of action, as well as the biosynthetic pathways of iridoids and xanthones in S. mussotii. As the first to integrate these aspects for this species, it aims to provide a valuable resource for further research. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, X-mol, and CNKI using "Swertia mussotii Franch" as the keyword and related terms, covering publications from 1991 to 2026. The initial search yielded 254 records; after removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts for relevance to phytochemistry, pharmacology, and biosynthesis, 70 peer-reviewed articles were retained. Studies focused on agriculture, industry, economics, or unrelated species were excluded. Results indicate that iridoids, flavonoids, triterpenoids, and phenolic compounds present in S. mussotii have been reported to exert hepatoprotective, antitumor, antidiabetic, and antiviral effects. DXS, GPPS, MK, IS, G10H, SLS, 7-DLH, GES, C4H, and CHI are identified as key enzymes in the biosynthetic pathways of iridoids and xanthones, while transcription factors such as MYB/MYC play regulatory roles in these pathways. Overall, S. mussotii exhibits promising pharmacological properties, and this review provides a foundation for enhancing active compound content through biomanufacturing technologies.