Botanical Index No. 445

Gentian

gentiana lutea

Medicinal Actions

Analgesic, Antiemetic, Antiinflammatory, Antipyretic, Antiseptic, Astringent, Carminative, Cholagogue, Choleretic, CNS Stimulant, Depurative, Digestive, Emmenagogue, Gastrostimulant, Insecticide, Mutagenic, Roborant, Secretagogue, Sialagogue, Stimulant, Stomachic, Tonic

Primary Conditions Treated

Aperitif Bitter Fungistat Vermifuge Achlorhydria Anemia Anorexia Arthrosis Bite Bronchosis Atony Cancer liver spleen Carcinoma Cardiopathy Chlorosis Cholecystosis Cold Convulsion Debility Diarrhea Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Dysuria Edema Enterosis Fever Gas Gastrosis Gastroenterosis Gout Headache Heartburn Hepatosis Herpes Hyperemia Hysteria Induration Inflammation Jaundice Malaria Nausea Neurosis Nicotinism Pain Rheumatism Snakebite Sore Sore Throat Splenosis Stomachache Syncope Typhus Ulcer Vomiting Worm Wound

General Dosage

0.5–1 tsp fresh root; 0.25–0.5 g dry root; 0.5 g dry root:3 ml alcohol/2 ml water; 0.6–2 g root, or in tea, 3 ×/day; 0.3–2 g root/day; 2–4 g root/day; 0.5–2 g powdered root; 1 tsp powdered root/3 cups water, take 1 tbsp 30 minutes before meals; 1 g herb/cup water, or 1–4 ml tincture 3 ×/day; 1–3 g root tincture/day; 20–40 drops tincture; 10 drops tincture 2–3 ×/day; up to 20 drops tincture before meals; 2–5 ml tincture; 1–4 ml herbal tincture 3 ×/day; 0.5–4 g extract/day; 2–4 g fluid extract; 1.5–4 ml herb infusion.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2d. Root contraindicated in acid stomach, gastrosis, heartburn, and duodenal and gastric ulcers. May cause headache. Reportedly contraindicated in hypertension. Gentian has documented mutagenic activity and is reputed to affect the menstrual cycle, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. Mutagenic activity in the AMES test has been documented for gentian with gentisin and isogentisin identified as mutagenic components. Gentian root is reported to contain 1000 ppm total mutagenic compounds, of which 760 were gentisin and isogentisin. Blumenthal et al., caution re dandelion, but not gentian, that, “As with all drugs containing bitter substances, discomfort due to gastric hyperacidity may occur”. Do I need to write out this caveat for all the bitter herbs? Warning: may cause hyperacidity and gastric distress. In general, bitter substances stimulate gastric secretion.

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