Department for Health, Community

& Wellbeing

ASSIGNMENT TITLE PAGE

TEACHER: Jesal Alimchandani

PROGRAM: Advanced Diploma of Naturopathy

COURSE: Herbal Medicine 3

STUDENT NAME: Luke Clews

STUDENT NUMBER: CIT 066213

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: Materia Medica - Gentian

DATE DUE: 23/3/2011

DATE SUBMITTED: 23/3/2011

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Materia Medica Assignment Marking Schedule

Student’s Name: Date: _________

Criteria Grade
Herb correctly described according to template categories.

Written assignment:
Accuracy of information and clarity of explanation
Originality – information understood and written up in own words
Grammar, spelling, layout

Research:
At least 6 reputable references used.
Summary of at least 3 recent clinical trials and studies (post
2003).

Correctly referenced (including bibliography) – Harvard style

Oral Presentation (including audio-visual aids)

FINAL GRADE:

COMMENTS:

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 GENTIAN
Part 1 – essentials
Herb’s Scientific Name – Gentiana
lutea
Common & Alternative names -
Yellow Gentian, Bitter Root, Bitterwort,
Centiyane and Genciana (Wikipedia
2011)

Plant Family – Gentianaceae (includes Centaury) (Gentian Research Network

2003)

Part(s) Used Medicinally – Root and rhizome

Active Constituents – Bitter secoiridoids (amarogentin, gentiopicroside),

xanthones, phenolic acids, gentianose (bitter trisaccharide), vitamin F, niacin,
inositol (Naturopathy Digest 2010)

Body System Affinity(ies) – Digestive, Integumentary (Skin) (Braun & Cohen

2010, p. 479)

Herbal Actions – Bitter tonic, sialagogue, cholagogue, anthelmintic, antiseptic,

anti-inflammatory (Braun & Cohen 2010, p. 479), emmenagogue, hepatic, tonic
(Hoffman 1996)

Therapeutic Applications/ Physiological Mode(s) of Action

Medicinal Uses
Digestive stimulant activity A small human study demonstrated
increased secretion of saliva, gastric
juice and bile, thereby stimulating
appetite and digestion (ESCOP
2003, p.175).
One randomised clinical trial in which
herbal combinations containing
boldo (Peumus boldus), cascara
(Rhamnus purshianus), gentian
(Gentiana lutea) and rhubarb
(Rheum sp.) were evaluated as
remedies for mild to moderate
functional disorders of the GIT. All
four herbs or placebo were
administered to 359 patients for 28
days. Compared with baseline and
placebo, the combination of all four
herbs and rhubarb and gentian alone
produced statistically significant
improvements in the loss of appetite,
dyspepsia and constipation (Borgia
et al. 1985).
 Antioxidant An in vivo experiment determining
the antioxidant properties of a
gentian extract on rats demonstrated
a significant reduction in
experimentally-induced oxidative
damage (Amin 2008).
Another study using electron spin
resonance spectrometry
demonstrated free radical
scavenging capabilities (Kusšar et al.
2006).

Promotion of wound healing Secoiridoids (gentiopicroside,

sweroside and swertiamarine) have
demonstrated improved wound
healing characteristics in animal
models, probably due to increased
stimulation of collagen production
and mitosis (Ozturk et al. 2006).

Other uses include:

Treatment of experimentally-induced gastric ulcers in rats via dose-dependent
down-regulation of gastric secretions (Niiho, Y et al. 2006). However, the use
of gentian is contraindicated in humans suffering gastric or duodenal ulcers
(Bone 2007, p. 36, Braun & Cohen 2010, p. 480).
Treatment of vaginal yeast infections via a topical ointment or treatment of
systemic Candida albicans infections with internal preparations (lozenges,
tinctures etc.) (Chen 1998).
Animal studies have demonstrated the ability of amarogentin to ameliorate or
eliminate Leishmania infections (Medda, S, Mukhopadhyay, S & Basu, M
1999).

Synergists
 For digestive weakness – Ginger
 For flatulent dyspepsia – Cardamon, St Mary’s thistle, Chamomile
 For liver insufficiency – Dandelion root, St Mary’s thistle
 For cachexia – Korean ginseng

Contraindications/ Interactions Warnings/ Precautions

Peptic or duodenal ulcer disease and
hyperacidity (Braun & Cohen 2010, p.
480)
Dosage – 5 -15 mL/week (1:2 liquid), 300 – 400 mg/day (tablet)

Part 2 - extra information

Habitat – The Yellow Gentian is a native of the Alpine and sub-alpine pastures of
central and southern Europe, frequent in the mountains of Spain and Portugal, the
Pyrenees, Sardinia and Corsica, the Apennines, the Mountains of Auvergne, the
Jura, the lower slopes of the Vosges, the Black Forest and throughout the chain of
the Alps as far as Bosnia and the Balkan States. It does not reach the northern
countries of the Continent, nor the British Isles. At an elevation of from 3,000 to
4,500 feet, it is a characteristic species of many parts of France and Switzerland
(Gentian Research Network 2003).

Traditional Use –
Gentian has been used as a medicinal by various cultures for more than 3,000
years. Historically, it was used by Greek, Egyptian and Roman healers to increase
appetite, cleanse sores, and treat stomach and liver ailments (Naturopathy Digest
2010).
According to Culpeper (2003, p. 137), gentian:
'comforts the heart and preserves it against faintings and swoonings: the
powder of the dry roots helps the biting of mad dogs and venomous
beasts.... The herb steeped in wine, and the wine drank, refreshes such as
be over-weary with travelling, and grow lame in their joints, either by cold or
evil lodgings: it helps stitches, and griping pains in the sides: is an excellent
remedy for such as are bruised by falls . . . when Kine (cows) are bitten on
the udder by any venomous beast, do but stroke the place with the
decoction of any of these and it will instantly heal them .'
In Africa gentians have been used against malaria, in South America against
snake bites, in Europe and Asia as digestives, and in Southeast Asia one species
is harvested for its rot-resistant timber. Gentians are also included in perfumes,
weight-loss products, skin care products, and homeopathic remedies (Gentian
Research Network 2003).

Gentian has been used (in a macerated form) in alcoholic beverages and is a
component of liqueurs such as Angostura bitters, Cinzano and Campari (Gentian
Research Network 2003). It is also included in the Bundaberg Brewing Company’s
“Australian Lemon, Lime and Bitters” (Wikipedia 2011).

Folklore/ Mythology
 Gentiana lutea takes its name from Gentius (second century BC), the
king of Illyria, who was said to have first discovered the medicinal value
in this plant. However, an Egyptian papyrus, found in a tomb at Thebes
and dated about 1,000 years before Gentius, describes medicines
containing plants of the gentian family (Medicinal Herb Info 2009).
 The Gentiana lutea is depicted on the reverse of the Albanian 2000 lekë
banknote, issued in 2008, that also depicts King Gentius on its obverse
(Wikipedia 2011).

Herbal Energetics
 Bitter
 Cold
◦ Gentian serves to stimulate appetite while simultaneously
decongesting the liver (thereby reducing liver heat) (Hall 2001, p.
164)
Mental/ Emotional/ Situational
The Gentian person is very sensitive to trauma (physical, emotional or otherwise)
and responds by losing all desire for food. There is great ennui and depression and
liver effects are quite evident. A full plate of (the wrong) food can cause dismay
(especially at the end of a stressful day) and eating with a person they dislike can
cause dyspepsia.
Quotes: “I’ve got a nervy stomach”, “I can’t swallow all that emotion” or, “I’m a
worry-guts”.
Digesting food and emotions simultaneously is impossible.
(Hall 2001, p.165)
In terms of Bach herbs Gentian is all about faith. It is designed for people who
would like to believe but cannot. This lack of belief, in oneself as well as external
(higher) aspects limits the Gentian person, restricting their souls.
The Gentian person typically overanalyses everything and is pessimistic because
they cannot grasp that which is just out of their reach.
Gentian is very useful in depressive circumstances of a known origin.
(Scheffer 1990, p.86)
Other Comments/ Observations/ Insights
Bitterness is subjective. It is both a taste and an emotion. If bitterness is felt,
perhaps it is within.
Pain and adversity are difficult emotions/situations but one can learn great things
from them and then turn them to their advantage.
References
Amin, A 2008, Ketoconazole-induced testicular damage in rats reduced by
Gentiana extract, Exp. Toxicol. Pathol., 59 (6), pp. 377-84
Bone, K 2003, A Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs, Elsevier Health
Sciences
Bone, K 2007, The Ultimate Herbal Compendium: A Desktop Guide For Herbal
Prescribers, Phytotherapy Press, Warwick
Borgia M, et al. 1985, Studio policentrico doppio-cieco doppio-controllato
sull'attivita terapeutica di una nota associazione di erbe medicamentose, Clin
Ter, 114, pp. 401–9
Braun, L & Cohen, M 2010, Herbs and Natural Supplements: An Evidence-
based Guide. 3rd Edition, Churchill Livingstone
Chen, Y 1998, Method of treating candida and Cryptococcus fungal infections
by administering gentian, US Patent 5,837,254
Chinese Medicine Tools 2010, Long Dan Cao, viewed 20/3/2011,
<http://tcm.health-info.org/Herbology.Materia.Medica/longdancao-
properties.htm>
Culpeper, N 2003, Culpeper’s Complete Herbal, reprint, Kessinger Publishing,
Whiefish
ESCOP 2003, Gentianae Radix in: European scientific co-operative on
phytomedicine (ESCOP), 2nd Edition, Thieme, Stuttgart
Gentian Research Network 2003, Gentiana lutea, viewed 19/3/2011,
<http://gentian.rutgers.edu/species/sp_Gent_lute.htm >
Grieve, M 2010, A Modern Herbal, viewed 19/3/2010, <
http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/mgmh.html>
Hall, D 2001, Dorothy Hall’s Herbal Medicine, Wild & Woolley, Glebe
Hoffman, D 1996, New Holistic Herbal, Element Books
Kusšar, A et al. 2006, Free radical scavenging activities of yellow gentian
(Gentiana lutea L.) measured by electron spin resonance, Hum. Exp. Toxicol.,
25 (10), pp. 599-604
Mills, S & Bone, K 2000, Principles & Practices of Phytotherapy, Harcourt
Publishers
Medda, S, Mukhopadhyay, S & Basu, M 1999, Evaluation of the in-vivo activity
and toxicity of amarogentin, an antileishmanial agent, in both liposomal and
niosomal forms, J. Antimicrob. Chemother., 44, pp. 791-4
Medicinal Herb Info 2009, Gentian, viewed 20/3/2011,
<http://medicinalherbinfo.org/herbs/Gentian.html>
Naturopathy Digest 2010, Gentian (long dan cao), viewed 19/3/2011,<
http://www.naturopathydigest.com/nutrition_herbs/herbs/gentian.php >
Niiho, Y et al. 2006, Gastroprotective effects of bitter principles isolated from
Gentian root and Swertia herb on experimentally-induced gastric lesions in
rats, j. Nat. Med., 60 (1), pp. 82-88
Ozturk, N et al. 2006, Effects of gentiopicroside, sweroside and swertiamarine,
secoiridoids from gentian (Gentiana lutea ssp, symphyandra), on cultured
chicken embryonic fibroblasts, Planta. Med., 72 (4), pp. 289-94
Scheffer, M 1990, Bach Flower Therapy: Theory and Practice, Thorsons
Publishing, London
Wikipedia 2011, Gentiana lutea, viewed 19/3/2011,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentiana_lutea >