Pharmaceutical name:

Radix Gentianae longdancao

Biological name:

學名﹕

Gentiana scabra Bge, G. trflom Pall.,

G. manshurica Kitag.,  or G. regescents Fransh.

Other Names:

別名﹕

long dan, long cao, ku dan, ling you, guan yin cao.

龍膽、膽草、苦膽、陵游、觀音草。

Pron. in Japanese:

ryutanzo

Pron. in Korean:

yongdanch'o

Pron. in Cantonese:

long tam cho

Common Name:

gentiana

Distribution:

throughout China: Northeastern provinces (Manchuria),

Anhui, Jingjiang of Jiansu,Shandong. Those produced

in Huzhou of Jejiang is deemed best. 

Properties (characteristics)

bitter, cold, non toxic

苦寒無毒

Channels (meridians) entered:

歸經﹕

gallbladder, liver, stomach

肝、膽、膀胱

Actions & Indications:

用途﹕

expells damp heat from liver and gallbladder channels with symptoms of high fever and seizures, red swollen sore throat and eyes, swollen and painful ears or sudden loss of hearing,  boils in mouth and tongue, hepatitis with jaundice vaginal discharge, damp and itchy groan area, cystitis, inflammation of the urethra, boils on skin, feverish malaria, chronic gastritis, and herpes zoster.

高熱驚厥，目赤咽痛，口舌生瘡，濕熱黃疸，帶下，陰部濕癢，膀胱炎，尿道炎，疥瘡，瘧疾發熱，慢性胃黏膜炎，帶狀庖疹。

Medical Function:

processes properties of checking yeast and bacteria.

Small amount taken half hour before meals can stimulate the digestive system. If taken after meals causes the secretion of digestive juices to go down. If large amount  is taken, it interferes with digestion, sometimes creates headache and dizziness.

Chemical ingredients:

gentiopicrin C₁₆H₂₅O 1/2 H₂0, gentianose C₁₈H₃₂O₁₆

Dosage:

用量﹕

03 to 3 g per day as decoction or powder form

一日量﹕0.3 ~ 3 克﹐水煎或作粉劑。

Samples of formulae:

to strengthen digestive system: (1).long dan cao 2 g,

da huang 1 g, huang bo 1 g, water 400 c.c.

Simmer till 150 c.c. Make into 3 serving per day.

(source: He Han Yao Ying Yong Fang)

(2). long dan cao powder 0.5 g, huang bo powder 0.5 g,

sheng jiang powder 0.3 g, hui xiang powder 0.3 g,

ji nei jin powder 0.5 g, burnt shan zha powder 1 g,

 gui zhi powder 0.3 g, mix together.

Make into 3 servings per day.

Also see: long dan xie gan tang,

long dan xie gan wan,

Modern Research:

to be loaded soon

Cautions:

禁忌﹕

not to use in case of diarrhea due to spleen and

stomach deficiency. Be careful not to use gui jiu by

mistake. Gui jiu is a poisonous herb for cancer treatment.

脾胃虛﹐便溏及非實火症忌用.

注意﹕龍膽草與鬼臼的形狀相似。

鬼臼是用來治癌症。有毒。