Gentian (Gentiana lutea) is a plant that grows in the mountains in Europe. It's often known as bitter wort or bitter root. Its roots are used as medicine.
Gentian contains chemicals that might reduce blood pressure by widening blood vessels. It might also have effects that reduce appetite.
People use gentian for diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Don't confuse gentian with Canadian hemp, which is also called bitter root. These are not the same. Also note that the highly toxic white hellebore (Veratrum album) can be misidentified as gentian. It has caused accidental poisoning when used in homemade preparations.
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