GREATER GENCIANA (genciana gentiana lutea)

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	GREATER GENCIANA
	*genciana gentiana lutea*

Name
GREATER GENCIANA

Scientific Name
genciana gentiana lutea

GREATER GENCIANA

Other Names:

Yellow Genciana, Greater Genciana, Gengiba, Junciana

The greed of some unscrupulous recolectores has put in critical moment of extinction to this majestic plant, since it grows so slowly that it takes 10 years in giving his first fruits. It is sad that it is had been systematically taking his voluminous root, that can weigh up to six kilos, to perfume alcoholic licores with her.

Dioscórides, the great doctor and Greek botanist of century I d.C., already said in its monumental medical Matter, that "the raiz of the genciana, drink with water, aids to the patients of the liver and the stomach". In our days, almost twenty centuries later, the observation of the Greek wise person continues being valid, and the genciana is one of appreciated the aperitive and digestive plants more.

Habitat: it grows in meadows and sunny slopes of mountainous regions of central and southern Europe. It prefers limestone grounds. In Spain it is more infrequent at the most to the south. Cultivated in America.

Description: it plants vivaz of the family of the Gencianáceas, that reaches of 60 to 100 cm of height. Of raised and smooth stem, which they leave leaves great, made oval, opposed one as opposed to another one. Their flowers, that are born in clusters, are of alive yellow color.

Used parts: the root.

Properties and indications: the root of the genciana contains diverse bitter principles, between which they emphasize the genciopicrina and the amarogencina. This last one is the substance bitterer than it is known (a dilution of a part in 50 million, still conserves bitter flavor). In addition it contains diverse sugars, tannins and pectina. These are their properties:

Stomach tonic: the bitter principles by the root of genciana, excite the secretion of all the digestive glands, including salivares. For that reason they open the appetite (aperitive action) and facilitate the digestion (eupéptica or digestive action). It is specially indicated in the chronic gastritis that they attend with little secretion of gastric juice (hipoclorhidria), in the ptosis or gastric atony (fallen stomach), in the indigestiones and vomits, the cases of lack of appetite and the convalecencia of febrile diseases.

Colerética and colagoga: it stimulates the bile secretion by the liver, and its evacuating to the duodeno. It agrees upon the cases of biliary hepática congestión and disquinesias (sluggish vesicle).

Febrífuga: this action very is not marked, but it is specially effective in case of paludismo. It has been verified that is able to destroy the protozoarios causes of the paludismo which the red globules of the blood parasitan. It can be used associate to the quinine and particularly is indicated in the cases of resistant paludismo to the quinine.

Inmunoestimulante (stimulating of the defenses): it has been verified that the administration by root of genciana causes an increase in the production of leukocytes (white globules), reason why it thinks that it can have a favorable action in the cases of immune depression (little resistance to the infections).

Use: in maceration, placing a piece by root of genciana as large as a nut (about 10 grs.) in a cold liter of water. To let macerate during 4 or 5 hours; 3 daily cups are taken, before the meals. It is possible to be added anise grains to him during the maceration, with the purpose of making his intense bitter flavor more bearable, but it does not agree to sweeten it. Decocción of 10 grs. by liter of water; to boil during one hour; average cup is taken before each food. In dust or dry extract one interferes of 0.5 to 1 gram before each one of the 3 daily meals.

Precautions: it is not necessary to confuse the genciana with eléboro white, plants toxic that grows near her, and which it is distinguished of her to have the alternating leaves (leave of one in one of the stem) and vellosas by envés, as well as by its white flowers and of disagreeable scent. The use of prepared alcoholic or licores advises against with genciana, because the negative effects of the alcohol resist the beneficial ones of the plant. They must avoid it who suffer of active gastroduodenal ulcer, because when increasing the secretion of gastric juice, can aggravate the disease. Also it must be avoided during the lactancia, because their bitter principles happen to milk, and although they are not toxic, cause that the suckling baby rejects it.

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