Description
The standardized extract of Gentian root (Gentiana lutea or Gentiana scabra), containing gentiopicroside as the principal bitter active. Used in digestive bitters, traditional medicine, and liver-support dietary supplements.
Yellow-brown to brown free-flowing powder with intensely bitter taste. Water-soluble.
We supply food-grade Gentian Root Extract from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production.
Common market grades include 10:1 herb-to-extract ratio (the baseline), 5 percent Gentiopicroside (standard supplement grade), 20 percent Gentiopicroside (premium grade), and Pure Gentiopicroside 98 percent (pharmaceutical-grade isolated compound).
Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering gentiopicroside content (HPLC), total iridoids, residual solvents, heavy metals, pesticides, and microbiology.
Introduction
Gentian root has been used as a digestive bitter and tonic in European traditional medicine since ancient times. The herb is among the most bitter substances known in herbal medicine, with gentiopicroside detectable by taste at concentrations below 1 part in 30,000.
Industrial production proceeds by ethanol or hydroalcoholic extraction of dried Gentian roots, followed by purification and standardization to defined gentiopicroside content.
Recognized as a permitted food ingredient by the U.S. FDA (GRAS, with longstanding use in bitter liqueurs and aperitifs), the European Food Safety Authority, and equivalent regulators worldwide. The European Medicines Agency has issued monographs for Gentian as a traditional herbal medicine for dyspepsia.
The bitter taste stimulates gastric and bile secretion through vagal reflex pathways, supporting the traditional digestive-bitter positioning. Clinical evidence is consistent with this mechanism though formal controlled trials are limited.
Strategic positioning combines digestive-bitter supplements, traditional herbal medicine product formulations, and functional beverage applications.
Where it is used
- Digestive-bitter dietary supplements: appetite and digestion-support formulations (the dominant commercial application)
- Traditional European herbal medicine product formulations
- Traditional Chinese Medicine: long dan cao formulations
- Liver-support and gallbladder-support supplements
- Functional beverages: traditional bitter liqueurs and aperitifs
- Pharmaceutical applications: digestive stimulant products
- Veterinary applications for digestive support
Technical data
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Yellow-brown to brown free-flowing powder |
| Gentiopicroside (HPLC) | 5% / 20% / 98% (grade dependent) |
| Total iridoids | ≥ 10% |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 5.0% |
| Residue on ignition | ≤ 8.0% |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 2 mg/kg |
| Total plate count | ≤ 10000 cfu/g |
| Source | Gentiana lutea or G. scabra roots |
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