DECEMBER 1999

Kind Gentian Gentiana lutea or yellow Gentian. Fascinating Gentian, magic Gentian, kind Gentian. The history of this mysterious plant, typical of the European mountainous regions, goes back several centuries. From ancient Greece to the crusade periods in the Arab world, during the Middle Ages, from geographic areas to various people who used it in traditional medicine, its curative virtues has been for centuries the object of the strangest myths and legends. So, besides Gentius, the famous king of " Illyrie " who gave it its name, after he discovered its existence, let us take note that a lot of ancient beliefs attribute to the yellow Gentian many virtues and rituals. So, the Gentian, considered in the Middle Ages to be a panacea, became an ingredient in the composition of miraculous remedies, such as the " theriaque d'Andromaque " or " l'opiate de Salomon ". Some centuries later, in the XVIII Century, it was said that to consume it regularly insured health and longevity. People also imputed to it magic properties against the plaque, while in the " Languedoc (a region of France) wearing on the neck, nine blades of Gentian picked walking backwards on Assumption day before sunrise, got rid of fever. Also, the root of the yellon Gentian or Gentian were associated with love rituals. An ingredient in the magic pockets destined for the love rituals, its root was dried, ground or more frequently cut into large pieces. Freshly grated, it was added to the hot water of love baths. From a morphological point of view, this flowering plant, is commonly called the vegetable sky-scraper, because it can reach about two meters in height. Hardy plant by excellence, its longevity can exceed 50 years of life. Its leaves, particularly impressive, can grow from 20 to 40 centimeters long and about 10 to 15 centimeters wide. And its flowers of a magnificent golden yellow or a deep blue colour, are arranged above each pair of leaves in the floral pole and have a diameter of about 5 centimeters. Consequently, to support such architecture, the foundations must be particularly sturdy. The roots form veritable underground networks, branching out profusely, sometimes reaching over one meter in lenght, five centimeters in thickness, for a total weight of 5 or 6 kilos. Finally, in the wilderness, the gentian blossoms for the first time after five to ten years, between June and August, depending on the altitude of where it is located. Toning, stimulating, antidepress, depurative... these are the astonishing medicinal characteristics and properties that the yellow Gentian seems to possess. Therefore, it's in the heart of its, intertwined roots that we find its active ingredients, a veritable treasure for the health of the human organism. The best known ingredients are those we call " bitter ". The latter help digestion thanks to their strong stimulation of the salivary gastric and pancreatic secretions. Therefore, the Gentian helps stimulate the appetite, helps improve digestion and is effective in the healing of several gastro-intestinal troubles, such as vomiting, diarrhea and heartburn. In addition to these virtues, for topical use, we could treat wounds with this plant. It also has a decongesting effect on the skin. For internal use, it favours the decrease of sore throats, arthritic swelling as well as jaundice. Moreover, some scientific research shows that one of its components, " gentiopicrine ", has febrifuge properties ; that is to say that it helps to destroy intestinal parasites. Finally, acting not only as a tonic on the liver and on the gall-bladder, the Gentian allows an almost complete purification of the entire human organism, that's why the Gentian is also considered to be a depurative plant. On the other hand, its use must be parcimonious, because, like numerous medicinal plants, it has side ffects, if taken in large qualtities. It could therefore, when taken in excess, cause gastric irritations that could lead to nausea and vomiting. Its use should be avoided in case of acute gastritis stomach ulcers and gastro-intestinal bleeding. Nevertheless, when used as advised, the kind gentian and particularly its root, remain an undeniable source of treasure for our health. Kathia Roy Happy Holidays ! Bibliography : MOZZANI, ÉLOISE. Le livre des superstitions. Mythes, croyances et légendes. France. Édition Robert Laffont. Collection Bouquins. 1995. TREBEN, MARIA. La santé à la Pharmacie du Bon Dieu. Conseils et pratiques des simples (des plantes médicinales). Australie. Édition Ennsthaler. 1997 (48 ième réédition). GIRRE, LOÏC. Traditions et propriétés des plantes médicinales. Histoire de la pharmacopée. France. Édition Privat. 1997. AZOULAY, DAVID A. Guide de santé par les plantes médicinales. Distribution exclusive: Québec-Livres. Canada. 1996. HOSTETTMANN, K. Tout savoir sur le pouvoir des plantes sources de médicaments. Lausanne. Édition Favre SA. 1997.