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Yellow gentian (yellow gentian) is a perennial herbaceous crop from the Gentian family. The inhabitants of Ancient Egypt were well aware of the healing properties of the plant, who used it in the treatment of stomach diseases, inflammation, tuberculosis and many other ailments. In ancient Rome, the bites of scorpions and poisonous snakes were treated with means based on yellow gentian, and diseases of the blood, kidneys, liver and upper respiratory tract were treated.
Description of the plant
The yellow gentian flower is a herbaceous perennial, reaching a height of 120 cm. The plant is distinguished by a short bifurcated rhizome, turning into a root. The stems of the culture are characterized by an erect cylindrical shape. The leaves of the yellow gentian are opposite, whole-edged, bluish-green in color. Basal leaf plates are elliptical, stem plates are ovoid-elliptical.
Yellow gentian inflorescences are bunches collected from small-sized leaves
Fruits are multi-seeded capsules of lanceolate-oblong shape. Inside there are many small flattened, oblong or rounded brown seeds.
Where does the yellow gentian grow
The yellow gentian is considered an endangered plant. The culture grows on the mountain ranges of Asia Minor, in the Alps, Pyrenees, Eastern Carpathians and on the Balkan Peninsula. Yellow gentian is cultivated in Ukraine, India, France, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Germany and some regions of Russia. The culture blooms for several weeks from June to July.
Composition and value of yellow gentian
The yellow gentian is distinguished by its rich composition, which includes the following substances and compounds:
- Alkaloids, the main of which is gentianine. It is found mainly in the roots of the plant. In medicine, it is used as a bitter remedy for the treatment of various digestive disorders. It does not dissolve in water.
- A number of disaccharides (genciobiose, sucrose), monosaccharides (glucose and fructose), as well as gentian trisaccharides and polysaccharides (pectin substances).
- Secoroidoids: gentiopicrin, gentiomarin, sverozide, svertiamarin. The most bitter component of the plant is amarogenin. The bitterness is also provided by amarosverin and amaropanin.
The yellow gentian also contains: inulin, essential and fatty oils, tannins, resins, flavonoids, mucus, aromatic compounds, ascorbic and phenol carboxylic acids.
The yellow color of the gentian is due to the high concentration of the pigment, which belongs to the xanthone group.
The healing properties of yellow gentian
The famous botanist and physician of German origin, Hieronymus Bock, described yellow gentian as a miracle cure for worms, tuberculosis and fever. During the Middle Ages, the flower was revered as having magical properties and was one of the twelve magical plants of the Rosicrucians. Residents of mountainous countries prepared a strong tincture from the roots of yellow gentian, which they used for diarrhea, intestinal colic. It was also used as an anthelmintic and tonic.
The therapeutic effect of gentian yellow is provided mainly by the high content of gentiopicrin and other bitter glycosides. They have a stimulating effect on the motor and secretory function of the gastrointestinal tract, increase the digestibility of food and stabilize the digestion process. The therapeutic effect is more pronounced in the case of normal secretion. Preparations from yellow gentian have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. They are prescribed for diseases of the gallbladder and liver, intestinal atony, spasms, colitis and diabetes mellitus.
Preparations based on yellow gentian are widely used for achilia and dyspepsia, as well as in the absence of appetite, diarrhea, heartburn, constipation, scrofula, anemia, arthritis and pancreatitis. The plant stabilizes metabolic processes in the body and helps to increase the amount of milk in women. Due to the pronounced hepatoprotective properties, preparations from gentian yellow protect the liver from destruction. They are used for inflammation of the bladder and kidneys, and also as an antiallergic agent.
The special substances that make up gentian yellow are considered analogs of anabolic steroids.
The plant can be used to safely increase muscle mass.
The use of yellow gentian in traditional medicine
With dyskinesia affecting the biliary tract, the use of cold infusion of yellow gentian (pictured) is carried out according to the following recipe: 1 tbsp. l. dried and ground gentian is poured with half a liter of boiled water (the temperature should be in the range of 22-25 ° C). The container is removed overnight in a dark place at room temperature. In the morning, filter the solution and take ½ glass twice a day.
There are other recipes based on yellow gentian:
- Tea drink. Increases appetite, prevents bloating, stomach cramps and stabilizes the digestive process. Prepare the drink in this way: plant raw materials (in the amount of 1 tsp) are poured with 250 ml of purified water and boiled for five minutes. The healing drink is filtered and consumed in 100 ml shortly before meals.
- Tincture of yellow gentian. Used for colitis, constipation and intestinal atony. For its preparation, take 100 g of dried ground parts of the plant and fill it with a liter of vodka or high-quality distillate. The tincture is removed in a place protected from sunlight. After a few days, they filter it and use 15-25 drops, which are diluted in 50 ml of pure water. Take the remedy 15 minutes before meals 3 times a day.
- Decoction for external use.
Gentian yellow remedy can be used externally
2-3 tablespoons of the crushed parts of the plant are mixed with an identical amount of dry chamomile, poured with purified water (1 l) and boiled for 10 minutes. The broth is filtered, and the finished product is used to treat burns and wounds. Dry powder of chamomile and gentian (the ingredients are taken in equal proportions) are sprinkled with abscesses on the skin for disinfection, disinfection and acceleration of regeneration.
In medicine, it is customary to use mainly the root of yellow gentian, since the rest of the plant cannot boast of such a high concentration of valuable substances and compounds. A decoction of the leaves is used to treat excessive sweating of the legs. Gastritis and various disorders of the digestive tract are helped by collecting yellow gentian from the roots in combination with centaury and yarrow. Take 1 tablespoon of each ingredient, pour in four glasses of water and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. You need to take a decoction of 50 ml three times a day before meals.
Limitations and contraindications
Like other medicines, yellow gentian has contraindications and restrictions for use.It is strongly discouraged to use preparations based on the plant for such diseases: stomach ulcers, hypertension, as well as during pregnancy and lactation.
Planting and leaving
Gardeners practice growing yellow gentian mainly from seeds. However, the culture propagates without any problems and difficulties by dividing the bush, as well as by layering and cuttings. Planting gentian is preferable in partial shade. Plants need to be provided with pebble or gravel drainage.
When and how to plant
In open ground, seeds of yellow gentian are planted in mid-spring or in the last days of September. Seed material needs preliminary stratification for three months at a temperature not higher than 8 ° C. Ensure good ventilation. The soil is dug up, rid of the weeds, and five to six buckets of compost are added. The optimal soil for growing yellow gentian is with neutral acidity. When planting, it is required to observe the distance between plants from 55 to 65 cm.
A good soil for a plant is a mixture of sand and peat in a ratio of 3: 1
Since the culture does not tolerate transplantation, it must be propagated by the vegetative method with great care. Damage to the root system can be detrimental to the plant. The flower goes well with ferns, hosts, rhododendrons, primrose and edelweiss. The culture is used to create ridges, flower beds and rocky hills.
Watering and feeding schedule
The gentian is very whimsical to watering and does not tolerate drying out of the soil and increased dryness of the air. The ideal place for a plant is near a pool or fountain.
Watering the plant with hard water is strongly discouraged, as this step can provoke delayed development and delayed flowering.
The gentian prefers organic fertilizers, especially rotted manure. Immediately after planting, ash or bone meal is added under the roots. In the process of cultivation, mineral complex dressings with prolonged action are used. Horny flour, as well as crushed limestone, which provides high growth rates of green mass, is considered a good feeding for the shrub.
Weeding and loosening
The culture does not tolerate the neighborhood with weeds, so it needs periodic weeding and loosening of the soil. It is necessary to loosen the soil only after watering and removing weeds. Mulching the soil in the area of the near-trunk circle with peat, sawdust and straw allows the subshrub to be provided with natural protection from adverse environmental factors.
Preparing for winter
It is necessary to timely rid the shrubs of dried inflorescences by pruning with a garden tool. In the case of growing in a region that is characterized by a sharp onset of winter, yellow gentian must be provided with a shelter from spruce branches.
Diseases and pests
Since the plant has a high concentration of alkaloids and bitter acids, various pests are in no hurry to settle on it. When grown in open ground, ants and thrips (small insects from the order of columbus that cause plant diseases) pose a danger to the crop. Get rid of them with the help of special insecticides and systemic drugs.
If the plant is damaged by gray mold, spotting, rust, rot of the root collar or other fungal diseases, it must be treated with a fungicide
Collection and procurement of raw materials
The root part of the yellow gentian is harvested in early spring or autumn. For medicinal collections, only plants that have reached four or five years of age are used.The roots are dug up, cleaned of soil, washed and cut into small pieces, and then quickly dried in a special cabinet or oven, observing the temperature regime within 51-60 degrees. Dried roots have a pronounced specific odor and persistent bitter taste.
Conclusion
The yellow gentian has been used for thousands of years as a raw material for the manufacture of medicinal products for a variety of diseases. Preparations based on this herb are effective in the treatment of chronic forms of hepatitis, diathesis, anemia, upper respiratory tract diseases and many other ailments. The therapeutic properties of the plant are recognized by official medicine. Many pharmaceutical companies make extracts and tinctures from yellow gentian.
