Gentiana

GENTIANA, gentian, Gentiana lutea L., G. pannonica Sc, G. purpurea L., G. punctata L., family Gentianaceae; grows, predominantly, in the mountains of Western Europe (see illustration). The roots of the plant-Radix Gentianae (Fig VII), up to 60 cm long, usually are cut into long pieces of 10-15 cm, 2-4 cm thick,

Gentiana lutea L.

on the outside reddish-brown, on the fracture yellowish-red or brown; in the tissues of the root and rhizome of G. there are drops of fat and small needles of calcium oxalate, starch is absent. Of the constituent parts, the glycosides should be noted: gentiopicrin, C₁₆H₂₀O₉, up to 3.5%, which gives the bitter taste of gentian,-crystals melting at 191° (hydrate-122°); gentiin- C₂₆H₃₈O₁₄, melting at 274°, and gentiamarin, amorphous; from sugar compounds it contains gentianose, C₁₈H₃₂O₁₆, a trisaccharide, which breaks down into grape sugar and sucrose or gentiobiose and fructose; ash 5-8%. The root of G., due to its strong and purely bitter taste, is often used in medicine as a bitter substance to increase appetite in the form of Tinctura and Extractum Gentianae. It is part of bitter collections and tinctures, such as Tinct. amara, T. Aloe composita, T. Chinae comp. and others. In Switzerland, from the fresh root, due to its high sugar content, vodka is distilled.