Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E
Gentian root
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Latin Name: Gentiana lutea
Pharmacopeial Name: Gentianae radix
Other Names: gentiana, wild gentian, yellow gentian
Overview
Gentian is a perennial herb native to the high pastures of central and southern Europe and western Asia, most often at elevations between 1,000-2,500 meters. The roots become mature and ready for harvesting after 7 to 10 years in the ground (Bruneton, 1995; Budavari, 1996; Grieve, 1979; Leung and Foster, 1996). The material of commerce is obtained from wild plants in the mountains of France, Spain, and the Balkans (BHP, 1996; Bruneton, 1995; Wichtl and Bisset, 1994). Wild gentian is almost depleted from many locations and is now under protected status in Germany, Yugoslavia, and many other countries. In Germany, gentian is listed in Annex 1 of the German Federal Ordinance on the Conservation of Species (BArtSchV) and a permit is necessary for both import and export of any wild collected material. There is a small amount under cultivation in France and Germany, though Germany imports most of its requirements from Yugoslavia, France, and Romania (Bruneton, 1995; Lange and Schippmann, 1997; Menkovic et al., 1998; Wichtl and Bisset, 1994). The genus name Gentiana is derived from Gentius, king of ancient Illyria (180-167 B.C.E.), who discovered its therapeutic values according to Pliny the Elder (ca. 23-79 C.E.) and Dioscorides, author of De Materia Medica in the first century C.E. (Grieve, 1979). Its present-day therapeutic uses date at least back to ancient Roman and Greek medicines. Though native to Europe, this species and related Indian species G. chirata and G. chirayita are included in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia, which indicates their use for anorexia, atonic dyspepsia, and gastrointestinal atony. It classifies gentian's actions as bitter, gastric stimulant, sialagogue, and cholagogue (Karnick, 1994). In Germany, gentian is licensed as a standard medicinal tea. Gentian infusions and other equivalent preparations, including percolate, tincture, strong bitter (Amarum purum), and dry extracts in solid dosage forms, are used in gastrointestinal and cholagogue formulas for appetite loss, flatulence, and insufficient production of gastric juices (Bradley, 1992; Leung and Foster, 1996; Wichtl and Bisset, 1994). In the United States, it is less common because its wild populations in Europe are protected and little is cultivated. Its use in the United States is comparable to Germany as a bitter tonic and more often as a component in digestive preparations. Gentian was official in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1950 (Boyle, 1991; Budavari, 1996; Leung and Foster, 1996; Taber, 1962). Few modern human studies have been done. One pharmacological study involved radiological examinations of the effects of bitters on digestive organs in humans. Secretion of gastric juice in 10 healthy individuals was stimulated after one oral dose of an alcoholic gentian root fluidextract. Using X-ray contrast, increased and prolonged emptying of the gall bladder was also observed, which was interpreted as a cholagogic effect. No adverse effects to the treatment were reported (ESCOP, 1997; Glatzel and Hackenberg, 1967). Therapeutic applications for gentian root are supportable based on its history of use in well established systems of traditional medicine, in vitro studies, in vivo studies in animals, the known properties of its bitter principles, and some pharmacological and clinical human studies. Pharmacopoeial grade gentian root must have a bitterness value of not less than 10,000 and must also contain not less than 33% water soluble extractive (Bruneton, 1995; DAB 10, 1994; Ph.Eur.3, 1997; Ph.Fr.X, 1990; Wichtl and Bisset, 1994).
Description
Gentian root consists of the dried, unfermented roots and rhizome of Gentiana lutea L. [Gentianaceae], and its preparations in effective dosage. The preparation contains bitter principles (amarogentin, gentiopicroside) and the bitter-tasting gentiobiose.
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Gentian root contains secoiridoid bitter principles gentiopicroside (24%) and amarogentin (0.0250.084%) [bitterness value=58,000,000]; oligosaccharides gentianose and gentiobiose (2.58.0%); (gentisic, caffeic, and protocatechuic) phenolic acids; phytosterols; polysaccharides inulin and pectin; tannin; lupeol and b-amyrin triterpenes; xanthones (approximately 0.1%), mainly gentisin, isogentisin, gentisein, and gentioside; and traces of volatile oil (Bradley, 1992; Bruneton, 1995; ESCOP, 1997; Leung and Foster, 1996; Newall et al., 1996; Wichtl and Bisset, 1994). The Commission E reported that the essential active principles are the bitter substances contained in the herb. These bring about a reflex excitation of the taste receptors, leading to increased secretion of saliva and the digestive juices. Therefore, gentian root is considered to be not only a pure bitter, but also a roborant and tonic. In animal experimentation there are indications that bronchial secretion is increased. The British Herbal Compendium reported its actions as bitter and as a digestive stimulant (Bradley, 1992). Its secoiridoid bitter principles, particularly amarogentin, stimulate gustatory receptors in the taste buds, causing a reflex promotion of saliva, gastric juice and bile secretion, thereby stimulating appetite (Hartke and Mutschler, 1987; Schmid, 1966). One oral dose of gentian root fluidextract stimulated gastric juice secretion and increased and prolonged emptying of the gall bladder in healthy individuals (Glatzel and Hackenberg, 1967).
Uses
The Commission E approved the internal use of gentian root for digestive disorders, such as loss of appetite, fullness, and flatulence. The British Herbal Compendium approves gentian for lack of appetite, anorexia, atonic dyspepsia, gastrointestinal atony, and as a tonic and anti-emetic (Bradley, 1992). The German Standard License for gentian root tea indicates its use for digestive problems, such as insufficient production of gastric juice (Braun et al., 1997). ESCOP indicates its use for anorexia following illness and dyspepsia (ESCOP, 1997).
Contraindications
Gastric and duodenal peptic ulcers.
Side Effects
Especially sensitive persons may occasionally experience headaches.
Use During Pregnancy and Lactation
No restrictions known.
Interactions with Other Drugs
None known.
Dosage and Administration
Unless otherwise prescribed: 2-4 g per day cut root or dried extract. Fluidextract: 2-4 g (Erg.B.6). Tincture: 1-3 g (Erg.B.6). Root: 2-4 g. Equivalent preparations: Infusion or decoction: 1-2 g in 150 ml boiled water, two to three times daily, one hour before meals. Cold maceration: 1-2 g in 150 ml cold water for at least 8 to 10 hours, then boil. Fluidextract 1:1 (g/ml): 1-2 ml, two to three times daily, one hour before meals. Native dry extract 3.5-4.5:1 (w/w): 0.2-0.4 g, two to three times daily, one hour before meals.
References
Boyle, W. 1991. Official Herbs: Botanical Substances in the United States Pharmacopoeias 1820-1990. East Palestine, OH: Buckeye Naturopathic Press. Bradley, P.R. (ed.). 1992. British Herbal Compendium, Vol. 1. Bournemouth: British Herbal Medicine Association. Braun, R. et al. 1997. Standardzulassungen für Fertigarzneimittel—Text and Kommentar. Stuttgart: Deutscher Apotheker Verlag. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia (BHP). 1996. Exeter, U.K.: British Herbal Medicine Association. Bruneton, J. 1995. Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. Paris: Lavoisier Publishing. Budavari, S. (ed.). 1996. The Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals, 12th ed. Whitehouse Station, N.J.: Merck & Co, Inc. Deutsches Arzneibuch, 10th ed. (DAB 10). 1991. (With subsequent supplements through 1996.) Stuttgart: Deutscher Apotheker Verlag. ESCOP. 1997. 'Gentianae radix.' Monographs on the Medicinal Uses of Plant Drugs. Exeter, U.K.: European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy. Europäisches Arzneibuch, 3rd ed. (Ph.Eur.3). 1997. Stuttgart: Deutscher Apotheker Verlag. Glatzel, H. and K. Hackenberg. 1967. Röntgenologische
Untersuchungen der Wirkungen von Bittermitteln auf die Verdauungsorgane
[Roentgenological studies of the effect of bitters on digestive
organs]. Planta Med 15(3):223-232. Grieve, M. 1979. A Modern Herbal. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. Hartke, K. and E. Mutschler (eds.). 1987. DAB 9—Kommentar: Deutsches Arzneibuch, 9. Band 2.: Monographien A-L. Stuttgart: Wissenschaft Verlagsges 1546-1550. Karnick, C.R. 1994. Pharmacopoeial Standards of Herbal Plants, Vols. 12. Delhi: Sri Satguru Publications. Vol. 1:228-229; Vol. 2:154-155. Lange, D. and U. Schippmann. 1997. Trade Survey of Medicinal Plants in Germany—A Contribution to International Plant Species Conservation. Bonn: Bundesamt für Naturschutz. 32-33, 93, 115-121.
Leung, A.Y. and S. Foster. 1996. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics, 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Menkovic, N.R., K.P. Savikin-Fodulovic, D.V. Grubisic, I. Momcilovic. 1998. Secondary Products in Gentiana lutea in vitro Culture. Belgrade, Yugoslavia: Institute for Medicinal Plant Research. Newall, C.A., L.A. Anderson, J.D. Phillipson. 1996. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health-Care Professionals. London: The Pharmaceutical Press. Ph.Eur.3. See Europäisches Arzneibuch. Pharmacopée Française Xe Édition (Ph.Fr.X.). 1983-1990. Moulins-les-Metz: Maisonneuve S.A. Schmid, W. 1966. Zur Pharmakologie der Bittermittel [On the Pharmacology of Gentian]. Planta Med 14(Suppl):34-41. Taber, C.W. 1962. Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 9th ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company. G-16. Wichtl, M. and N.G. Bisset (eds.). 1994. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Stuttgart: Medpharm Scientific Publishers.
Additional Resources
Atkinson, J.E., P. Gupta, J.R. Lewis. 1969. Some phenolic constituents of Gentiana lutea.Tetrahedron 25(7):15071511. British Pharmacopoeia (BP). 1988. (With subsequent Addenda up to 1992.) London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia (BHP).1983. Keighley, U.K.: British Herbal Medicine Association. Bricout, J. 1974. Identification et dosage des constituants amers des racines de Gentiana lutea L. Phytochem 13:28192823. Burret, F., A.J. Chulia, A.M. Debelmas. 1979. Contribution a l'etude du genre Gentiana. 2'-O-glucosides d'isoorientine et d'isovitexine chez Gentiana lutea L. [Contribution to the study of the genus gentiana: 2'-O-glucosides of isoorientine and isovitexine in Gentiana lutea L.]. Planta Med 36(2):178179. Council of Europe. 1981. Flavouring Substances and Natural Sources of Flavourings, 3rd ed. Strasbourg: Maisonneuve. Der Marderosian, A. (ed.). 1999. The Review of Natural Products. St. Louis: Facts and Comparisons. Duke, J.A. 1985. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton: CRC Press. 207208. Hänsel, R., K. Keller, H. Rimpler, G. Schneider (eds.). 1993. Hagers Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 5th ed. Vol. 5. Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer Verlag. 227-247. Inouye, H., T. Yoshida, Y. Nakamura, S. Tobita. 1968. Die Stereochemie einiger Secoiridoidglucoside und die Revision der Strukter des Gentiopicrosids. Tetrahedron Lett 4429-4432. Karrer, W. 1958. Konstitution und Vorkommen der Organischen Pflanzenstoffe (exclusive Alkaloide). Basel: Birkhuser Verlag. List, P.H. and L. Hörhammer (eds.). 1973-1979. Hagers Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, Vols. 17. New York: Springer Verlag. Luckner, M., O. Bessler, P. Schroder. 1965. Vorschlage für den Drogenteil des DAB 7. 5. Radix Gentianae [Suggestions for the drug section of the DAB 7. 5. Radix Gentianae]. Pharmazie 20(1):16-19. Madaus, G. 1979. Lehrbuch der biologischen Arzneimittel, Vols. 13, reprinting. Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlag. Matzkies, F. and B. Webs. 1983.Wirkung eines pflanzlichen Kombinationspraparats auf die gastrointestinale Transitzeit und die Gallensauren-Ausscheidung [Effect of a plant extract combination preparation on gastrointestinal transit time and bile acid excretion]. Fortschr Med 101(2728):13041306. McGuffin, M., C. Hobbs, R. Upton, A. Goldberg. 1997. American Herbal Product Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Reynolds, J.E.F. (ed.). 1993. Martindale: The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed. London: The Pharmaceutical Press. Steinegger, E. and R. Hänsel. 1988. Lehrbuch der Pharmakognosie und Phytopharmazie, 4th ed. Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer Verlag. Sticher, O. and B. Meier. 1978. Identifizierung der bitterstoffe von radix Gentianae mit hochleistungs-flussigkeitschromatographie (HPLC) [Identification of bitter substances in radix gentianae with high pressure liquid chromatography]. Pharm Acta Helv 53(2):40-45. . 1980. Quantitative determination of the bitter principles in the roots of Gentiana lutea and Gentiana purpurea with HPLC. Planta Med 40:55-67. Takino, Y. et al. 1980. Quantitative determination of bitter components in Gentianaceous plants. Studies on the evaluation of crude drugs VIII. Planta Med 38:344-350. Verotta, L. 1985. Isolation and HPLC determination of the active principles of Rosmarinus officinalis and Gentiana lutea. Fitoterapia 56:25-29. Wagner, H. et al. 1983. Plant Drug Analysis. Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer Verlag. Wagner, H. and M. Wiesenauer. 1995. Phytotherapie. Phytopharmaka und Pflanzliche Homopathika. Stuttgart: Fischer Verlag. Weiss, R.F. 1991. Lehrbuch der Phytotherapie, 7th ed. Stuttgart: Hippokrates Verlag. 74-79. Wichtl, M. (ed.). 1997. Teedrogen, 4th ed. Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft. Wichtl, M. and M. Schfer-Korting. 1994. DAB 10—Kommentar. Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft. II/2:Monograph E8.
This material was adapted from The Complete German Commission E MonographsTherapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. M. Blumenthal, W.R. Busse, A. Goldberg, J. Gruenwald, T. Hall, C.W. Riggins, R.S. Rister (eds.) S. Klein and R.S. Rister (trans.). 1998. Austin: American Botanical Council; Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications.
1) The Overview section is new information. 2) Description, Chemistry and Pharmacology, Uses, Contraindications, Side Effects, Interactions with Other Drugs, and Dosage sections have been drawn from the original work. Additional information has been added in some or all of these sections, as noted with references. 3) The dosage for equivalent preparations (tea infusion, fluidextract, and tincture) have been provided based on the following example: - Unless otherwise prescribed: 2 g per day of [powdered, crushed, cut or whole] [plant part]
- Infusion: 2 g in 150 ml of water
- Fluidextract 1:1 (g/ml): 2 ml
- Tincture 1:5 (g/ml): 10 ml
4) The References and Additional Resources sections are new sections. Additional Resources are not cited in the monograph but are included for research purposes. This monograph, published by the Commission E in 1994, was modified based on new scientific research. It contains more extensive pharmacological and therapeutic information taken directly from the Commission E.
Excerpt from Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs
Copyright 2000 American Botanical Council
Published by Integrative Medicine Communications
Available from the American Botanical Council.
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