What are the effects and benefits of Gentiana (Dragon's胆)?
Sep 12, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
Gentiana (Long Dan Cao) is a commonly used traditional Chinese herb, with functions and indications mainly including clearing heat and drying dampness, purging fire from the liver and gallbladder, alleviating jaundice due to damp-heat, improving red, swollen, and painful eyes, and treating eczema with itching. When using Gentiana, one should be aware that it has a bitter and cold nature, which may easily damage the yang qi of the spleen and stomach. It is contraindicated in individuals with deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach or without excess fire-heat due to dampness. Additionally, dosage and duration of use should be controlled according to medical advice to avoid long-term or excessive use.
Generally, as a commonly used traditional Chinese herb, Gentiana (Long Dan Cao) has functions and effects mainly including clearing heat and drying dampness, purging fire from the liver and gallbladder, relieving damp-heat jaundice, improving red and swollen painful eyes, and treating eczema and itching. Detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Clearing Heat and Drying Dampness: Gentiana is bitter and cold in nature and can clear damp-heat from the body. It is suitable for symptoms such as yellowish sticky vaginal discharge, genital swelling and itching, and short red urination caused by downward invasion of damp-heat. By dispelling damp-heat with its bitter-cold nature, it alleviates discomfort caused by accumulation of damp-heat in the body.
2. Purging Fire from Liver and Gallbladder: Gentiana enters the liver and gallbladder meridians and is particularly effective in clearing excessive fire from the liver and gallbladder. It is indicated for symptoms such as headache with red eyes, bitter taste and dry mouth, irritability and anger, tinnitus, and hearing loss caused by excessive fire in the liver and gallbladder. By directly clearing liver and gallbladder fire, it helps restore functional balance of the liver and gallbladder.
3. Relieving Damp-Heat Jaundice: For jaundice caused by accumulation of damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder, which manifests as yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark yellow urine, bloating, and other symptoms, Gentiana can promote bile excretion and alleviate jaundice by clearing heat, drying dampness, promoting bile secretion, and reducing jaundice.
4. Improving Red and Swollen Painful Eyes: Gentiana clears liver fire, and the liver opens into the eyes. Upward inflammation of liver fire easily causes redness, swelling, pain, and blurred vision in the eyes. Using Gentiana can indirectly relieve eye inflammation by clearing liver fire, thereby improving redness, swelling, and pain in the eyes.
5. Treating Eczema and Itching: For skin conditions such as eczema, sores, swelling, toxicity, and itching caused by accumulation of damp-heat, Gentiana can clear damp-heat, detoxify, and relieve itching, thus alleviating skin dampness and heat and reducing itching and inflammatory reactions.
When using Gentiana, it is important to note that its bitter and cold nature may damage the spleen and stomach's yang energy. It is contraindicated in individuals with deficiency-cold in the spleen and stomach or without excessive damp-heat and fire. Additionally, dosage and duration of use should be controlled according to medical advice to avoid long-term or excessive use and ensure safe medication use.
