Also chirata, chireeta. [a. Hindī chirāītā, Bengālī chirāta, Dakhnī chirāēta, Marāthī kirāītā:—Skr. kirāta-tikta butter plant of the Kirātas, an ancient forest tribe on the N.E. of Bengal.] A plant, Ophelia (or Agathotes) Chirayta, N. O. Gentianaceæ, found in northern India. b. The bitter tonic obtained from this, used like quinine.
1831. J. Davies, Manual Mat. Med., 115. Chiretta or Chirayta, a perennial plant, growing in Hindostan and Bengal.
1847. Nat. Encycl., I. 277. Chirayta possesses the general properties of bitter tonics.
1876. Harley, Mat. Med. (ed. 6), 511. Chiretta contains two bitter principles, chiratin and ophelic acid.
Hence Chiraytin, chiratin, Chiratogenin, Chem. bitter principles obtained from chirayta.
1847. Nat. Encycl., I. 277. What is … sold as a sulphate of chiraytine is well known to be only the disulphate of quinia.
1881. Syd. Soc. Lex., Chiratin, C26 H48 O15. One of the two bitter constituents of chirata … a yellow, somewhat hygroscopic powder…. Chiratogenin, C13 H24 O3 … a yellowish-brown, amorphous, bitter substance.
