Gentiana lutea
(Gentian)

Therapeutic Actions:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Bitter, stimulates the appetite and digestion by stimulating the digestive juices, saliva, gastric juices and bile
• Cholagogue
• Facilitates absorption of nutrients
• Promotes peristalsis
• Sialagogue
• Tonic

Clinical Indications:

• Cholecystitis
• Cholelithiasis
• Dyspepsia
• Gastritis
• Heartburn

Contraindications:

• Acute gastric inflammation

Drug/Nutrient Interaction:

• Counterproductive to use medications that inhibit stomach acid production, ie antacids, gastric acid secretion inhibitors and histamine H2 receptor antagonists, since gentian promotes stomach acid secretion

Chemical Constituents:

• Alkaloids:
  
  Gentianine
  Gentialutine
• Gentiopicrin, a bitter principle
• Iridoids:
  
  Amarogentin
  Gentiopicrosider
  Swertiamarin
• Phenolic acids:
  
  Caffeic
  Gentisic
  Protocatechuic
  Sinapic
  Syringic
• Sugars:
  
  Gentianose
  Gentiobiose
• Xanthones:
  
  1,3,7-trimethoxyxanthone Gentisein
  Gentisin
  Isogentisin

Toxicity:

• Symptoms:
  
  Diarrhea
  Fullness of pulse
  Headache
  Nausea
  Vomiting
• Treatment:
  
  Activated charcoal
  Emesis or gastric lavage

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).