Gentiana algida
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64401d933095c123325408 |
| Scientific name | Gentiana algida |
| Authority | Pall. |
| First published in | Fl. Ross. 1(2): 107 (1789) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
Suggest a correction!
Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
GENTIANA ALGIDA (Pall.)
Traditional use of Gentiana algida centers on its intensely bitter roots and herb, which are prepared as digestive teas and decoctions across several cold‑highland systems. In central Tibet, local practitioners macerate the plant in warm water to make a bitter “stomach tea” taken with meals (Johns et al., 1999). In Ladakh, herbalists collect the herb at altitude and prepare a brief decoction of roots and aerial parts to relieve indigestion and general fatigue (Srivastava, 1999). Among high‑altitude herders in the Mongolian Altai, villagers steep chopped roots in hot water for a short infusion used before heavy meals; the infusion is also given as a tonic in cold seasons (Lange, 2004). No poultice or alcoholic tincture traditions for this species are recorded in accessible sources.
A practical and widely cited preparation is the bitter digestive tea. Place 2 g (about 1 teaspoon) of dried, chopped roots into 250 mL boiling water, remove from heat, cover, and steep for 10–15 minutes. Strain, and drink 1 cup 20–30 minutes before meals. A follow‑up cup can be taken after meals if needed. Traditional practice limits daily intake to 2–3 cups. Bitter herbs stimulate appetite and gastric secretions and may worsen reflux; people with gastric ulcers or on anticoagulants should avoid high doses (World Health Organization, 1999; Johns et al., 1999).
Active constituents in Gentiana algida include the bitter secoiridoid gentiopicrin, the intense amarogentin, loganic acid, gentiopicroside, swertiamarin, and related iridoids, together with flavonoids and xanthones. These compounds plausibly account for the digestive‑bitter activity that underlies the traditional tea and decoction preparations (Chassot et al., 1999; Lange, 2004).
Today, the bitter decoction remains in limited use among Tibetan and Himalayan herbalists, and extracts are included in several commercial digestive bitter formulations, while modern pharmacology continues to explore iridoid‑rich Gentiana extracts for hepatoprotective and gastrointestinal effects (Bennett et al., 2021).
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Pneumonanthe algida | F.W.Schmidt | Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 1(1): 10 (1796) |
| Dasystephana romanzovii | Rydb. | Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 33: 148 (1906) |
| Gentiana algida var. romanzovii | (Bunge) Kusn. | Trudy S.-Peterburgsk. Obshch. Estestvoisp., Otd. Bot. 24: 119 (1894) |
| Gentiana algida var. sibirica | Turcz. | Vestn. Estestv. Nauk Moskovsk. Obshch. Isp. Prir. 1860: 1355 1860 |
| Gentiana frigida var. algida | (Pall.) Froel. | Gentiana 39 1796 |
| Gentiana igarashii | Miyabe & Kudô | Trans. Sapporo Nat. Hist. Soc. 8: 5 (1921) |
| Gentiana romanzovii | Ledeb. ex Bunge | Nouv. Mém. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 1: 215 (1829) |
| Gentiana romanzovii f. hexaloba | A.Roach | Amer. Midl. Naturalist 50: 510 (1953) |
| Gentianodes algida | (Pall.) Á.Löve & D.Löve | Bot. Not. 125: 256 (1972) |
| Gentiana algida var. sibirica | Kusn. | |
| Gentiana frigida var. algida | (Pall.) Ledeb. | |
| Dasystephana algida | (Pall.) Borkh. | Arch. Bot. 1: t. 26 (1796) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | whitish gentian |
| Azerbaijani | soyuq acıçiçək |
| Japanese | トウヤクリンドウ |
| Kazakh | Суық көкгүл |
| Korean | 산용담 |
| Chinese | 小儿血参 |
| Chinese | 苦龙胆 |
| Chinese | 高山龙胆 |
| Chinese | 白花龙胆 |
| Chinese | 高山龍膽 |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Gentiana algida var. purdomii | (C.Marquand) T.N.Ho | Worldwide Monogr. Gentiana : 223 (2001) |
| Gentiana algida var. algida | Unknown |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
China
- China North-central
- China South-central
- Qinghai
- Tibet
- Xinjiang
-
Eastern Asia
- Japan
- Korea
-
Middle Asia
- Kazakhstan
- Kirgizstan
- Tadzhikistan
-
Mongolia
- Mongolia
-
Russian Far East
- Amur
- Kamchatka
- Khabarovsk
- Magadan
-
Siberia
- Altay
- Buryatiya
- Chita
- Krasnoyarsk
- Tuva
- West Siberia
- Yakutskiya
-
China
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indian Subcontinent
- East Himalaya
-
Indo-China
- Myanmar
-
Indian Subcontinent
-
Northern America click to expand
-
Northwestern U.S.A.
- Colorado
- Montana
- Wyoming
-
South-central U.S.A.
- New Mexico
-
Southwestern U.S.A.
- Utah
-
Subarctic America
- Alaska
- Aleutian Islands
- Yukon
-
Western Canada
- British Columbia
-
Northwestern U.S.A.
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000696823 |
| Canadensys | 5993 |
| USDA Plants | GEAL2 |
| Tropicos | 13800009 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:367731-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2819866 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 449120 |
| Observations.org | 118186 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 50748 |
| Nature Serve | 2.149756 |
| IPNI | 367731-1 |
| iNaturalist | 118783 |
| GBIF | 3170111 |
| Freebase | /m/0nbcnk5 |
| EPPO | GETAG |
| EOL | 581410 |
| USDA GRIN | 17347 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acyl glycosides / Fatty acyl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides | |||||
| (3S,4R)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-4-[(2R)-1-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxybut-3-en-2-yl]oxan-2-one | 95224521 | Click to see | 362.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| 1-O-beta-D-Glucopyranosylamplexine | 101273519 | Click to see | 362.37 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 https://doi.org/10.1021/NP010358O |
| 3-(Hydroxymethyl)-4-[1-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxybut-3-en-2-yl]oxan-2-one | 72820992 | Click to see | 362.37 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 https://doi.org/10.1021/NP010358O |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Oleanolic Acid | 10494 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| 17-(5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 86821 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| beta-Sitosterol 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside | 296119 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C | 576.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| Sitogluside | 5742590 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C | 576.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| Stigmast-5-en-3-ol | 22012 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| Stigmasterol | 5280794 | Click to see | 412.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Pentacarboxylic acids and derivatives | |||||
| [(2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-4,5-diacetyloxy-2-(acetyloxymethyl)-6-[[(3R,4R,4aR)-4-ethenyl-4a-hydroxy-8-oxo-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl]oxy]oxan-3-yl] 2-hydroxy-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxybenzoate | 162877915 | Click to see | 798.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| [(2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-4,5-diacetyloxy-2-(acetyloxymethyl)-6-[[(3R,4R,4aS)-4-ethenyl-8-oxo-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl]oxy]oxan-3-yl] 2-hydroxy-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxybenzoate | 102143856 | Click to see | 782.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| [4,5-Diacetyloxy-2-(acetyloxymethyl)-6-[(4-ethenyl-4a-hydroxy-8-oxo-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl)oxy]oxan-3-yl] 2-hydroxy-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxybenzoate | 75144806 | Click to see | 798.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| [4,5-diacetyloxy-2-(acetyloxymethyl)-6-[(4-ethenyl-8-oxo-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl)oxy]oxan-3-yl] 2-hydroxy-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxybenzoate | 74029859 | Click to see | 782.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| Rindoside | 46174003 | Click to see CC(=O)OCC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C3(CCOC(=O)C3=CO2)O)C=C)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C4=C(C(=CC=C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)O | 798.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| Trifloroside | 101688128 | Click to see | 782.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| (-)-Sweroside | 161036 | Click to see | 358.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| (3R,4R,4aS)-4-ethenyl-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-8-one | 131704891 | Click to see | 358.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| (3S,4R,4aS)-4-ethenyl-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-8-one | 354447 | Click to see | 358.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| [(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-6-[[(3S,4R,4aR)-4-ethenyl-4a-hydroxy-8-oxo-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl]oxy]-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methyl 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate | 102094444 | Click to see | 510.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2006-957770 |
| [(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-6-[[(3S,4R,4aS)-4-ethenyl-8-oxo-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl]oxy]-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methyl 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate | 102094443 | Click to see C=CC1C2CCOC(=O)C2=COC1OC3C(C(C(C(O3)COC(=O)C4=C(C(=CC=C4)O)O)O)O)O | 494.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2006-957770 |
| [(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[[(3S,4R,4aS)-4-ethenyl-8-oxo-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl]oxy]-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl] 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate | 101687152 | Click to see | 494.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| [2-[(4-ethenyl-8-oxo-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl)oxy]-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl] 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate | 78407175 | Click to see | 494.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| [6-[(4-Ethenyl-4a-hydroxy-8-oxo-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl)oxy]-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methyl 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate | 162950404 | Click to see C=CC1C(OC=C2C1(CCOC2=O)O)OC3C(C(C(C(O3)COC(=O)C4=C(C(=CC=C4)O)O)O)O)O | 510.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2006-957770 |
| [6-[(4-ethenyl-8-oxo-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3-yl)oxy]-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methyl 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate | 162932637 | Click to see C=CC1C2CCOC(=O)C2=COC1OC3C(C(C(C(O3)COC(=O)C4=C(C(=CC=C4)O)O)O)O)O | 494.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2006-957770 |
| 4-ethenyl-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-8-one | 581257 | Click to see | 358.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| Gentiopicroside | 88708 | Click to see | 356.32 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Oligosaccharides | |||||
| Gentianose | 117678 | Click to see | 504.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / 2,2-dimethyl-1-benzopyrans | |||||
| Anofinic acid | 5319235 | Click to see | 204.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| Methyl 2,2-dimethylchromene-6-carboxylate | 5316881 | Click to see CC1(C=CC2=C(O1)C=CC(=C2)C(=O)OC)C | 218.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones | |||||
| 1,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-8-[(2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyxanthen-9-one | 44144324 | Click to see COC1=CC(=C2C(=C1)OC3=C(C=CC(=C3C2=O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O | 436.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630190 |
| 1,5-Dihydroxy-3-methoxy-8-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyxanthen-9-one | 5858086 | Click to see | 436.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630190 |
| 1,5,8-Trihydroxy-3,4-dimethoxyxanthone | 86183532 | Click to see | 304.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00629661 |
| Bellidifolin | 5281623 | Click to see COC1=CC(=C2C(=C1)OC3=C(C=CC(=C3C2=O)O)O)O | 274.22 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2004-832632 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630190 |
| Chiratol | 10356746 | Click to see | 288.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630190 |
| Isobellidifolin | 5322042 | Click to see COC1=C2C(=C(C=C1)O)C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O | 274.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00629661 |
| Swerchirin | 5281660 | Click to see | 288.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00629661 |
| Swertianolin | 5281662 | Click to see | 436.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630190 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Coumarans | |||||
| (2R)-2-prop-1-en-2-yl-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-5-carboxylic acid | 162964493 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CC2=C(O1)C=CC(=C2)C(=O)O | 204.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| (2S)-2-prop-1-en-2-yl-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-5-carboxylic acid | 131405161 | Click to see | 204.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| 2-Isopropenyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-5-carboxylic acid | 5317368 | Click to see | 204.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| methyl (2S)-2-prop-1-en-2-yl-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-5-carboxylate | 162858985 | Click to see | 218.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| Methyl 2-isopropenyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-5-carboxylate | 5316729 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CC2=C(O1)C=CC(=C2)C(=O)OC | 218.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides | |||||
| 5-Hydroxy-2-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-7-Methoxy-6-(3,4,5-Trihydroxy-6-(Hydroxymethyl)Oxan-2-Yl)Chromen-4-One | 369636 | Click to see | 446.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630190 |
| Swertisin | 124034 | Click to see | 446.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630190 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides / Flavonoid 8-C-glycosides | |||||
| Orientin | 5281675 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C(=C(C=C3O)O)C4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O | 448.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00599-4 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |