Great yellow gentian – Gentiana lutea
When they hear the word gentian, most people think of the pretty little blue flower that you often come across when hiking in the mountains and which is celebrated in Heino's famous song. However, it is the yellow gentian, the big brother of the blue gentian, that is used as a medicinal plant.
A saviour for the stomach
Fields of application
The yellow gentian is also known as bitterwort because of its very high bitterness levels. The roots of the gentian are used as a medicinal drug. The essential ingredients of the roots are the bitter substances gentiopikroside and amarogentin. These stimulate acid secretion in the stomach, promote digestion and increase appetite. This is why the roots have been used as a stomachic for centuries. Yellow gentian helps with mild dyspeptic gastrointestinal complaints, as well as poor digestion, stomach cramps, flatulence, heartburn and bloating.
Botanical characteristics
In contrast to the better-known low-growing blue gentian, the yellow gentian grows to over a metre in height. It has a bare, erect stem with elliptical, blue-green leaves. It takes several years before it bears yellow flowers, which bloom in July and August. The medicinal plant is anchored in the ground with a long, strong root and prefers the limestone soils of Europe's mountains. Despite its positive characteristics, not so long ago the yellow gentian was still considered a troublesome weed by mountain farmers and was to be eradicated. Today, however, the yellow gentian is strictly protected.