The Prepper Broadcasting Network - Herbal Medicine for Preppers: Gentian

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey y'all, welcome this week's show. Today, we are going to talk about the herb that is called the king of bitter herbs. Now, there are two reasons why it's called this. One, it's a very ancient herb, and it became to be known as the herb, the plant, that had a bitterness by which all other bitter herbs were measured. If you said something was more bitter than gentian, but really they didn't know of anything really more bitter than gentian. Genshinchin was considered to be the most bitter herbs.

Starting point is 00:00:32 So you'd say it in degrees of, you know, such and such is less bitter than Gensian. It's G-E-N-T-I-A-N, by the way. But it's also called the King of Bitter Herbs because it was named for a king. King Gentius, who was an herbalist who came up with a bitters formula that, well, let's see. I'll give you the specifics here. actually his name was Gentius, the ruler of the Illurin,

Starting point is 00:01:04 that's hard to say. I-L-L-Y-R-I-N Kingdom from about 181 to 168 BC. And Diascorides noted that the Greek I'm sorry that the King Gentius had

Starting point is 00:01:23 let me restate that. Dei's Corides, the Greek physician, noted that the king, Gentius, identified the properties of the plant, specifically the root of Gentian, in about 167 BC, and used it as a remedy for the plague. So, very important herb going very far back. Now we have at least one other herb known as the King of Bitter Herbs. Oh, that'll come to me at some point. it's an Indian herb but anyway

Starting point is 00:01:59 in European and Western herbalism Genshin is often called the king of bitter herbs What is the name of that one from India I'm sure it's going to pop into my head any minute now but it actually is a few degrees more bitter than Genshin And I would also say that Berberin from Golden Seal or Barbary

Starting point is 00:02:20 is about on the same level At least to my taste But Gensiana or Genschen, as noted by D.S. Corides, well, he goes into the description, of course, to start with. There are actually several varieties of Gensian, native to Europe and the Middle East, but we also have a few native to the Americas. So look them up. Once you get to know the shape of the flower, the position of the leaves, the shape of the leaves, you'll know because they do come in different colors. but anyway he said two teaspoons of the root are warming and astringent and taking as a drink

Starting point is 00:02:59 with pepper interesting and a little bit of rice and wine and he said it would help those bitten by venomous creatures don't know if it would or not but he thought it would what it will do is strongly stimulate the liver and that can help process toxins he says a teaspoon of the extract juice of the root is good for disorders of the sides pain the sides which can also be from an inflamed liver falls from heights hernia and convulsions it helps with liver ailments and gastritis taking as a drink with water the root especially the juice applied as a suppository would bring on menstruation of course don't do that when pregnant and I don't even know how you you'd have to make it yourself I don't think you

Starting point is 00:03:44 can buy gention suppositories so we'll just skip that use it's a wound herb applied and good medicine for deep ulcers and uses an ointment for inflamed eyes. The juice is mixed into eye solves or different things. The root would clean a form of leprosy. It would help get rid of the sores of the skin. The juices, let's see, the root bruised steeped in water for five days and then boiled was how he made his decoction. and yeah we'll get on to a little more modern all up to a thousand years ago or so ago st. Hillcard von Bingen right in about 1,100 AD.

Starting point is 00:04:32 Genschen is good for one who has a fever in the stomach and she recommended powdered root mixed into warm wine for the stomach and to help with fevers and Gensian does have some anti-fever properties some febrefuge or properties it helps lower fever. She recommended gentian for pain in the heart and for stomach issues and said it was very good for the liver, and it is one of the top liver herbs. Gensions used in traditional European medicine was well established, really in all the herbal. It was recommended by Hieronymus Bach, one of the great botanist. But Father Sebastian Nape said of Gensin, The yellow gentian, that's the one that he would gather in the mountains of Germany, the Alps, was the one he used.

Starting point is 00:05:23 But the blue gention, the purple gention, I have a beautiful picture of gention on the cover of the book, the herbs and weeds of Father Johann Kunzel. And that's a purple gention, which is just one of my, well, some people call it blue, some people call it purple. I think it's one of my favorite flowers, without a doubt. It's one of my favorite herbs as well. But the yellow is considered to be specific for liver issues because of the yellow color of gold. gall. That's what they call the doctor's signatures. Anything yellow, probably good for the liver. And usually the pancreas and gallbladder as well and related organs. And the skin because those are related as well. So he said this extract is, well, let's see. Yeah, well, first of all,

Starting point is 00:06:07 he tells you how to identify it and how to prepare it. And then he says this extract is one of the best stomatics, something good for the stomach, for digestive issues mainly. Put six to eight tablespoons of water into a glass and pour 20 to 30 drops of the extract so he would make basically a tea of it using tincture drop by drop into water. And he said take this mixture daily for some time. The good digestion will soon be indicated by a no less good appetite. If the food is felt to lie heavy in the stomach and is troublesome, make a little cordial with a teaspoon and a half of the extract in a glass of water and it will soon stop the disorder. Genshin is also very good for cramp in the stomach When after a long journey during which for days together

Starting point is 00:06:53 Eating Okay, so when traveling back You know around 1900 they often didn't have good food And bad water And he recommended taking Gensin for that For nausea for stomach cramping essentially for Anything from And what they used to call dyspepsia

Starting point is 00:07:14 You know an acid stomach with burping to even, you know, full-on food poisoning. He said it would enliven, warm, and bring the body and mind back to peace again. Genshin uses a tea, renders similar services. And that could be just a tea made from the root, usually dried and powdered. Brother Aloysius recommended Genshin. The root used medicinal. He says no home should be without a tincture prepared for it.

Starting point is 00:07:41 This is the best stomach remedy to be found in the dispensatory. And it's also a very good nerve tonic and febrifusial, which means lowers fever. Used to restore appetite and promote digestion for oppression of the stomach, for nausea, for scars and ulcers. Turning to English herbal medicine, 1500s. Gerard, he mentions it having being used by all the physicians of the time. And noted by the great herbalist tabernum. Montaneus. Now, no one knows the real name of Tabernam Montaneus. He's really what you might call the father of botany. He was a Dutch botanist and he had the illustrations and everything. And he

Starting point is 00:08:30 really, along with Linnaeus, Linnaeus is really the father of botany, but Taberdom Montanais is sort of like the European, more Western European counterpart, I guess you would say. The two of them together kind of in different errors came up with the idea of doing those beautiful illustrations with the description of the plant and then Tiberna Montaneus would put its medicinal uses under there as well and that's a very very important figure almost impossible to find his original books they they were you know back that point in time people had to hand copy everything and so there were probably very few of them made and they went to universities and you know maybe one day I run across one somewhere, but I'd love to have a copy. Linnaeus was much more, well,

Starting point is 00:09:23 being more of a classical author, he was much more one of the curriculum of the universities, but Taberna Montana, it's so hard to say, T-A-B-E-R-N-A-M-O-N-T-A-N-U-S was the most influential botanist of, say, the late Middle Ages. So we're getting up to you here about 1,500. And Gerard almost essentially based his entire herbal on the work of Tiberna Montaneus, by the way. A lot of it was plagiarized, but he did actually give the original author credit here. But anyway, let's get up to the uses. I'm sure you don't have interest in that as much as I do, being a plant geek historian.

Starting point is 00:10:13 You know how that goes. He talks about the history of it, you know, King Jentius and all that. And he said, good for those trouble with cramps and convulsions, hernias, such as are Burson, as he would write in his Elizabethan English, those who have fallen from some high place, those who have evil livers and bad stomachs. So if you have an evil liver or a bad stomach, definitely one of the herbs to use. it is put into counter poisons and is in the composition name is

Starting point is 00:10:50 Theriac which is a bidders formula that we've discussed before sort of pretty much a panacea at that point in time a cure-all for any kind of poison venom or plague or you know virus whether it worked or not is up for debate but it was certainly good for the stomach and liver

Starting point is 00:11:08 he said it is such force force and virtue that it helped with cattle which are troubled with a cough and let's see root of gentian given in with a little pepper and the herb grace mixed there with and I don't know what the herb grace is maybe you know somebody I'll figure that out but he said it was good for those bitten or stung with any manner of venomous beast or insect or one who had taken poison but he also said it was good for those bitten by a mad dog so take that with a grain of salt

Starting point is 00:11:43 1,500s, you know, who knows. The decoction drunk is good against the stoppings of the liver, the crudity of the stomach. It help with digestion, dissolveth, and scattereth, congealed blood, and it's good against all cold diseases of the inward parts. Well, fortunately, about 100 years later, in 1600s, coal paper came along, and while his language is still a bit more floury than we would use today, often much easier to understand. goes on, talks about it's one of the best of the English herbs. Everybody ought to have it in

Starting point is 00:12:18 their home. Here's how you find in the wild. Here's how you gather it. If you don't live in the mountains, you probably won't have a native gentian growing. It is a really good one to growing the garden, or even if you have to grow it in pots. But anyway, he said that it resists putrefications, that means essentially rottenness, poison, and is a sure remedy. and a more sure remedy cannot be found to prevent pestilence than this. It strengthens the stomach exceedingly, helps digestion, comforts the heart, preserves it against feignings and swoonings. The powder of the dried roots helps with the bitings of mad dogs and venomous beasts.

Starting point is 00:13:02 So at least 100 years after Gerard, they still believe that, and Cole Pepper was actually an apothecist, a trained pharmacist. So, hey, who knows? I'm going to say if you get bit by a mad dog, go to the hospital, or a mad raccoon. I think I saw a rabid raccoon the other day, but someone had already found it and reported it, so I didn't have to bother with it. The herb steeped in wine and the wine drank refreshes such to be overweary with traveling. And those who grow lame in their joints, either by cold or evil lodgings.

Starting point is 00:13:39 It means, you know how like you when you sleep on a bad, bed and you can get a cramp and your arm will go numb that's what he's talking about there and if you do that long enough you know you can get a pinch nerve that arm will kind of stay numb for a while I could stay numb for quite a quite a while actually I know one guy who got a pinch nerve in his his upper back lower neck installing drywall and for basically two years he barely had any use of his arm in hand I mean he could like raise it, but he couldn't really grip very strongly with that hand. It was pretty bad, actually. Let's see. It helps the stitches of the side and the griping pains of the belly. It is an

Starting point is 00:14:22 excellent remedy for such who are bruised by falls. It provokes urins and the terms. It's menstruation. Exceedingly, therefore, let it not be given to a woman with child. Let it not, as I said earlier. The same is very profitable for such who are troubled with cramps and convulsions to drink a decoction. and as they say it breaks the stone, the urinary stones, gravel, you know, kidney and bladder stones, and helps ruptures most certainly. It is excellent all cold diseases, and such as are troubled with tough limbs, scabs or itch, any fretting sores or ulcers. It is an admirable remedy to kill the worms.

Starting point is 00:15:01 Yes, in large doses, ginsin is a verminfuge. It will get rid of intestinal parasites. It is the same as actually good to be taken. inwardly for the king's evil. It's scrofula, inflamed, infected glands of the throat. It helps with all sorts of the yellow jaundice, you know, liver issues causing jaundice. And also helps the bots and cattle, the bot fly, horrible insect. The thing gives me nightmares. And for any that are bitten on the utter by a venomous beast. So, yeah, sometimes cows will get bitten by snakes. they try to milk them

Starting point is 00:15:40 and anyway it says stroke the place with the decoction of the gentian and it will heal them so who knows Miss Greve explains that there are many varieties of gentian to be about 1930s

Starting point is 00:15:56 England and that's true there are many and they're beautiful you definitely if you live in an HOA or POA want to grow some ginsion one of the most useful herbs and just a gorgeous flower I mean it really really is when I see that thing like I'll be hiking through old pastures and meadows in the mountain and a ginchin plant with either you know yellow or blue or purple flower or

Starting point is 00:16:18 sometimes there's kind of reddish you see that sucker and you know that's jension you go straight toward it it's just it really is one of the prettiest flowers and I'm very pleased that around where I live they do tend to go in the blue and purple hues because I think they're just their knockouts I mean really I just you know just I see them they make me me happy. You know, what's the point of the prettiness of a flower? The bees, the birds, the animals can't identify beauty. God gave that to man only. We're the only creatures on earth, although insects and birds see a brighter, a wider color spectrum than we do. We're the only creatures on earth that have aesthetic pleasure from things that are beautiful. You know,

Starting point is 00:17:08 I think a lot of, I don't know, I don't know, maybe a lot of guys like see flowers is like a, you know, feminine thing. And, yeah, I mean, they have a nice scent and everything, and women do seem more drawn to flowers. But all of us can appreciate the beauty of God's creation, you know, sunset, a sunrise, the blue sky, the, you know, the sea, the waves crashing. And, you know, a lot of times, just a really pretty wildflower is like something. stop and take a look at it, you know, stop and smell the flowers, as you say you say, and just, you know, thank God for, I mean, there's no, there, it's actually one of the proofs of God. If you want to get into, like, theological, rational science, there is no point in beauty in nature, us mankind being the only creatures that can appreciate it. There's no necessity. Everything on earth could be ugly and serve the same purpose, you know, for food and for drink and heat and cold and shelter.

Starting point is 00:18:16 Aesthetics are actually very much a part of our human nature that is one of the proofs of the existence of God. Because everything else in the world has a useful purpose. So anyway, we can get into that another time. Not that we need to on this show, maybe on my other show. You know, I actually have a podcast called The Uncensored Catholic, where I go through a lot of apologetics and theology and such. And if you're interested in that, you know, check that one out. But anyway, medicinal uses and actions. Genshin is one of the most useful of our bitter vegetable tonics.

Starting point is 00:18:56 It is especially useful in states of exhaustion from chronic disease in all cases of general debility, weakness of the digestive organs and want of appetite it is one of the best strengtheners in the human system it is an excellent tonic to combine with a purgative to prevent its debilitating effects many dyspeptic or dyspeptics are you know gassy acidic stomachs many dyspeptic complaints are more affectionately relieved by gentian bitters than Peruvian bark as quinine and that's true whenever my stomach feeling, you know, a little off acidic, I'm burping and bloated, whatever.

Starting point is 00:19:37 Just, a lot of times I just, like, can't stop burping for some reason. I get that acid stomach. I'll go and get some ginschen-based bitters, like Agnesura, or some that a friend of mine sent me that he made, or the Swedish bitters, and just take a dropper full or even a shot glass full, and it just settles the stomach. The acids subsides, the burping stops, the indigestion. It's really quite good.

Starting point is 00:20:01 good, actually. It says it is of extreme value in jaundice and is prescribed extensively. Of course, it would be in the 1930s. Now, our learned men of science and medicine would not use a lowly herb created by God for our health. They have to use synthetic things that usually have 27,000 side effects with them. She said, besides being unrivaled as a stomach tonic, Genshin possesses febri fused, it's blowing fever, a menagogue bringing omensis, anthomenic, getting rid of worms, and antiseptic properties. It is also used in hysteria, female weakness, etc. Good for curing intermittent fever, especially when combined with tormental, which is in the Rose family. We'll get to that one separately on another day.

Starting point is 00:20:51 She gives a bitters formula, which is a pretty good one, actually. She uses Genshin along with orange peel, and a little, cardam and steeps in brandy and that's that would be a very nice bitters formula especially for you know ingestion let's see if there's anything else we need to know from the English no nope no nope no yeah so I just get to modern use you know I will point out that bitters medicinally were the most popular medicines in the world and were widely used to acknowledge for physicians for centuries. That was until the Pure Foods and Drug Act of about 1916 arbitrarily banned all commercial

Starting point is 00:21:40 claims of health benefits of bidders. Before then, you walked into any drugstore, apothecary, or general store, or picked up your Sears catalog, and they'd have about 27 different varieties of bidders, which are called patent medicine, and they were used for just about as a remedy for just about anything and then the pure foods and drugs act said you couldn't put any medicinal claims on there so before then um maybe some of them went too uh too far but they were tried and true herbal medicine for i don't know uh five thousand years at least and you know i guess our government has a remarkable tendency to assume that we the people who vote them into office as our representatives are fools.

Starting point is 00:22:28 But granted, given the IQ of the average member of Congress, you can kind of understand why they think if they're the representative of us, we must be pretty dang stupid. But anyway, let's get on to modern use. Plants for a Future says, Genshin Root has a long history of uses in herbal bitterer the treatment of digestive disorders and is an ingredient in many proprietary

Starting point is 00:22:55 medicines. It contains some of the most bitter compounds and is known. I almost had the name of that other bitter plant again. Oh my gosh. It will come to me at some point. I'll have to do a whole show on it.

Starting point is 00:23:11 I was that close. That close. Kept reading. If I'd stopped it, digestive disorders, it would have popped into my head. Oh, well, Incheon root has a long history of use as an herbal bitter in the treatment of digestive disorders and is an ingredient in many proprietary medicines. It contains some of the most bitter compounds known and is used as the scientific basis for measuring bitterness.

Starting point is 00:23:36 It is especially useful in states of exhaustion from chronic disease and in all cases of debility, weakness of the digestive system, and lack of appetite. It is one of the best strengtheners of the human system, stimulating the liver, gallbladder, and digestive system. It is an excellent tonic to combine with a purgative in order to prevent its debilitating effects. The root is enthylmintic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, bitter tonic, colagogue, and menagogog, febifurge, refrigerant, and stomatic. It is taken internally in the treatment of liver complaints and digestion, gastric infections, and anorexia. It should not be prescribed for patients with gastric or duodino or I was taught to say duidino, but now, doctors say de wadnal, I don't know why, ulcers.

Starting point is 00:24:24 The root can be as thick as a person's arm. Really, yeah, they can have very big roots on an old plant. And it's harvested, but don't feel you have to get a big one. Small roots will do just the same. Don't worry about that. Harvested in the autumn, dried for later use. And it is likely that the roots harvested before the plant flowers are riches in medicinal properties.

Starting point is 00:24:48 Who knows? But finally, the physician's desk. reference for herbal medicine. Still lists, Genshin, it says, the essential active principles are the bitter substances contained in the herb. These bring about a reflex stimulation of the taste receptors, leading to increased secretion of saliva and the digestive juices. Genshinum root is therefore considered to not simply be a pure bitter, but also restorative tonic. There is also a possible cologogic effect, although it is not clear if the mode of action is sensory reflexive. In addition, a fungastatic effect has been proven in gentian extract.

Starting point is 00:25:32 Anyway, some doctors still acknowledge the use of ginsion. But yeah, I'll say beyond that, ginsion is not only a beautiful plant. Blossoms are yellow or purple or blue or a little. pinkish most bitters formulas that I've tried made from Genshin are really tasty really nice actually Genshin just kind of combines well with like orange peel and clothes and then you add a little sweetness to it maybe a little honey it just comes together in a little vanilla vanilla and ginsion go well together really actually pretty nice you might want to look into that so andrographus I got

Starting point is 00:26:15 it I knew I would I knew if I I just kept talking. Eventually, my brain would pop that word into my head. The other herb known as the king of bitter herbs is the Indian herb andrographis, which is probably even a little more bitter than Gensian. And I may have already done a show on angiographis, considering it starts with an A, and I've been going through these kind of alphabetically. Oh, anyway, y'all, I hope you have a great week and I'll talk to you next time. The information in this podcast is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing I say or write has been evaluated or approved by the FDA.

Starting point is 00:27:02 I'm not a doctor. The U.S. government does not recognize the practice of verbal medicine and there is no governing body regulating herbless. Therefore, I'm really just a guy who studies herbs. I'm not offering any advice. I won't even claim that anything I write or say is accurate or true. I can tell you what herbs have been traditionally used for. I can tell you my own experience and if I believe an herb has helped me.

Starting point is 00:27:23 I cannot nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use an herb anyone recommends, you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, a sensitivity, an underlying condition that no one else even shares and you don't even know about. Be careful with your health.

Starting point is 00:27:45 By continuing to listen to my podcast or read my blog, you agree to be responsible for yourself to your own research, make your own choices, and not to blame me for anything ever.

The Prepper Broadcasting Network - Herbal Medicine for Preppers: Gentian

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