There are actually over 180 different species of gentian root, of which gentiana lutea is but one. Our gentian root is derived from the "yellow" variety, which grows primarily in the mountainous regions of Central and Southern Europe, particularly the Alps and Pyrenees. It is also found in the Lydia region of Anatolia (modern Turkey); gentian root takes its name from King Gentius, who ruled the area 2,000 years ago.
The use of gentian root extract in the U.S. has an interesting history; it was considered a medicinal herb and was used as an ingredient of a patent medicine invented in 1876 by a physician in Maine. Back then, it was marketed as Moxie Nerve Food, and was said to cure everything from senility to impotence. Today, Moxie is sold as a soft drink in the New England states, and is still the official soft drink of Maine.
Gentiana lutea is one of those natural herbs that have an extremely strong and bitter taste. Dried gentian root has traditionally been prepared as a decoction or tea and used as a digestive aid.
While bulk gentiana root may have therapeutic value as an herb, caution should be exercised; it should not be taken by people with ulcerative conditions. Those who buy organic bulk herbs from Starwest Botanicals are assured of the best quality certified organic herbs, and all our bulk herbs are unconditionally guaranteed; however, the therapeutic values of most dried herbs have not yet been proven by medical science and are not endorsed by the FDA.
