From Centaurium umbellatum Gilib., (Erythraea centaurium Pers.), Gentianaceae or Swertia japonica (Maxim.) Makino, Gentianaceae. By hydrolysis of swertiamarin and erytaurin with emulsin. Isoln: Kariyone, Matsushima, J. Pharm. Soc. Jpn. 47, 25 (1927). Structure: Kubota, Tomita, Chem. Ind. (London) 1958, 230; Kubota et al., Tetrahedron Lett. 1961, 223. Synthesis: Wenkert et al., J. Org. Chem. 29, 2534 (1964).
Bitter tonic.