What Is Gentian Root?
Gentian root usually is referred to by alternative medicine supporters and natural health practitioners as bitterwort, bitterroot or sometimes yellow gentian. Its scientific name is Gentiana lutea, or great yellow gentian. Used for centuries in Europe, gentian root is considered a highly effective treatment for various digestive tract conditions and illnesses. Gentian root is a natural, alternative treatment for liver support, gall bladder function and a wide variety of stomach maladies. Even when diluted more than 12,000 times, this herb still is the most bitter of all herbals; all other bitters are measured against it when determining the level of bitterness. Most parts of the gentian plant can be used in herbal preparations, but the roots and stems are the most potent. It is a perennial herb that usually is found in the temperate regions of North and South America, Europe and parts of Asia. Yellow flowers and a fat, hollow stem are the hallmark of the plant; its fleshy root has a ve
