Chinese name:

Source:

Gentianae Radix - root

Nature:

• cold (strongly cold, non-toxic, yin, sinking)

Taste:

• bitter (extremely bitter, strong, slightly sour)

Tropism:

• liver, gallbladder and stomach (kidneys, urinary bladder)

Direction of action:

• sinking

Effects:

• drains fire from Gan/Dan

• clears Shi Re from the lower burner

Dosage:

• 3 – 10 g, standardly 3 g

Contraindications:

• not suitable for deficiency cold of the spleen and stomach and damage to fluids from yin deficiency