Latin name: Centaurium minus, formerly Centaurium erythraeaGenera: Gentian (protected! )Folk names: Feverwort, Stomachwort, Sanctuary
Plant description
A leaf rosette grows from a tap root and from this a 30 to 40 cm high square stem. Lancet-like leaves, on the upper part of the plant numerous, small, red-violet to reddish flowers grow from a five-pointed calyx. They open star-shaped in sunshine.
Flowering time: July to September. Occurrence: In our area on natural sunny meadows and wooded areas with moist soil. Also found in North Africa and North America.
The herb without the leaf rosette. We usually obtain the centaury from other countries where it is cultivated. It must not be collected in the wild.
Ingredients
Bitter substances, flavonoids, sterols.
Curative effects and application
Bitter substance drug with the usual application areas of loss of appetite, stomach weakness, indigestion, lack of gastric juice production, flatulence, abdominal cramps. The drug has a stimulating effect on the mucous membrane, promotes digestive processes and alleviates the above-mentioned complaints. In case of anorexia nervosa in young girls a centaury tea may supplement the treatment. Centaury is not used for heartburn and acidic belching and for ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract.
Preparation
Tausendgüldenkraut tea: 1 heaped teaspoon of cut drug is poured over 1⁄4 l cold water, one lets this preparation pull out over night. Then filter and heat to drinking temperature. The tea is drunk unsweetened before meals.
In folk medicine, one also knows the so-called centaury wine. A small glass of this “medicinal wine” should be drunk before the main meals if necessary. It is said to strengthen, stimulate the appetite and aid digestion.
Preparation: Mix 20 g each of dried peppermint and centaury, cut an untreated lemon with its peel into cubes and pour a dry white wine over everything. This mixture is left to stand for 10 days and poured through a sieve. Store in bottles.
Side effects
None to be expected in the usual dosages.
