Gentiana macrophylla. 秦 艽  Qín jiāo   Gentiana root Family: Gentianaceae 
PART USED: Root- harvested in Spring or Autumn.
Nature: Neutral, slightly cold   FLAVOR:  Bitter, pungent  CHANNELS: Stomach, Liver, Gall bladder
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Wind Damp Dispersing
1. Disperse Wind Damp and relaxes the sinews.[3]
2. Clears Heat from deficiency.[3]
3. Resolves Dampness and reduces jaundice due to Damp Heat.[3]
4. Moistens the Intstines and unblocks the bowels.[3]
3. Relieve pain.
INDICATIONS
1. Wind Damp painful obstruction and cramping, especially in the extremities.[3] Rheumatic arthritis, low fever, malnutrition in children with fever.[1] Especially children suffering acute jaundice due to Damp Heat.[2,3]
2. Any type of painful obstruction- Cold, Wind and Damp, rheumatism.[2] Can be used for conditions that are acute or chronic, Cold or Hot.[3]
3. Yin deficiency- deficiency Heat with bone steaming fever.[2,3]
4. Dry constipation. This herb is commonly used to counteract the drying qualities of other herbs that dispel Wind Dampness.[3]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Frequent urination, or chronic pain with amaciation, or Spleen deficiency with diarrhea.[3]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Dry root 3-9 g.[1]  4.5-12 g.[3] Good quality is firm, strong smelling, and brownish yellow.[3]
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. 
Constituents
Research

Inhibitory effects of the Gentiana macrophylla (Gentianaceae) extract on rheumatoid arthritis of rats.
Yu F, Yu F, Li R, Wang R.
Abstract
Acute treatment of rheumatoid rats with an extract from the roots of Gentiana macrophylla (Gentianaceae) produced a significant inhibitory effect on rheumatoid arthritis (RA). When rats were administered the Gentiana macrophylla extract orally at a daily dose of 100 mg/kg body weight, the prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) levels in the inflammatory tissues, sole thickness, and ankle circumferences of feet were significantly decreased. The anti-inflammatory activity observed in Gentiana macrophylla is comparable to that observed in prednisone. These observations suggest that Gentiana macrophylla displays considerable potency in anti-inflammatory action and could be used as an anti-inflammatory agent in the control of inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis.
PMID: 15374610 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2004.06.025   J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Nov;95(1):77-81.    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Gentiana macrophylla Pall. and Gentiana straminea Maxim., and identification of their active constituents.
Jia N, Li Y, Wu Y, Xi M, Hur G, Zhang X, Cui J, Sun W, Wen A.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
Tibetan medicine get used to use the flowers of Gentiana straminea Maxim. to cure inflammation of stomach and intestines, hepatitis, cholecystitis, etc. The flowers of Gentiana macrophylla Pall. have been traditionally treated as an anti-inflammatory agent to clear heat in Mongolian medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, Gentiana macrophylla Pall. and Gentiana straminea Maxim. have also been used under the name "Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix" and prescribed for the treatment of pain and inflammatory conditions.
AIM OF STUDY:
The present study evaluated the pharmacological effects of two species of "Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae" in experimental inflammation and pain models, and determined the chemical compounds that may correlate with their pharmacological activities. The comparison is needed to identify whether the two related plants can be used interchangeably.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
We evaluated the pharmacological effects of the flowers of Gentiana macrophylla Pall. and Gentiana straminea Maxim. in experimental inflammation and pain models. An HPLC-MS method was developed to analyze the chemical composition. The effects of Gentiana macrophylla Pall. and Gentiana straminea Maxim. on the p65 and p50 phosphorylation were examined by immunblotting. NF-κB transcriptional activity was measured using the luciferase assay, in vitro kinase assay and Griess reaction.
RESULTS:
The extracts of Gentiana macrophylla Pall. and Gentiana straminea Maxim. possessed significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities. Flavonoids, secoiridoid glycosides and triterpines were determined in the extracts and may be the basis of the observed pharmacological effects. Nuclear translocation of p65, p50 and NF-κB transcriptional activity induced by LPS were suppressed by Gentiana macrophylla Pall. and Gentiana straminea Maxim.
CONCLUSION:
The results clearly demonstrated that the chemical composition and pharmacological activities of the two herbs were similar, which support the interchangeability among the two herbs when using them in folk medicine.
PMID: 23063959 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.10.004 J Ethnopharmacol. 2012 Dec 18;144(3):638-45. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.10.004. Epub 2012 Oct 12. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Root Extract of Gentiana macrophylla Pall. Alleviates Cardiac Apoptosis in Lupus Prone Mice
Chih-Yang Huang, Tsai-Ching Hsu , Wei-Wen Kuo, Yi-Fan Liou, Shin-Da Lee, Da-Tong Ju, Chia-Hua Kuo, Bor-Show Tzang
Abstract
The roots of the perennial herb Gentiana macrophylla Pall. (GM) are known as Qinjiao, which has been used for centuries to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, little is known about the effects of GM on cholesterol-aggravated cardiac abnormalities in SLE, and the mechanisms thereof. This study investigates whether GM exhibits anti-apoptotic effects, focusing on the left ventricle (LV) of NZB/W F1 mice fed with high-cholesterol diet. The morphology and apoptotic status of ventricular tissues were determined by microscopy and Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Levels of apoptotic biomarkers were determined by immunoblotting. The results thus obtained revealed that GM significantly reduced the cholesterol-aggravated apoptosis of LV in NZB/W F1 mice by suppressing both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. Additionally, GM significantly increased the cardiac insulin-like growth factors (IGF)-1 survival signaling and anti-apoptotic proteins in LV tissues. Accordingly, GM is considered to be beneficial in alleviating cholesterol-aggravated cardiac damage in SLE, and therefore constitute an alternative treatment for SLE patients with cardiac abnormalities.
Published: May 18, 2015https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0127440 journals.plos.org