Name Centaury, red centaury, common centaury, European centaury, Christ's ladder, filwort, feverwort (1, 3, 7).
The lore associated with centaury is that it was used by the famous centaur, Chiron, to heal himself from an arrow laced with the poison of the hydra. Chiron is notable to herbalists as he was known in Greek mythology for his knowledge of herbs. The genus was even referred to as Chironia.
In medieval times it was mixed into incense to increase psychic awareness and altered states of consciousness. It was also burned on its own and the smoke was said to repel snakes from an area.
Some older references indicate that the genus and species was reversed: Erythraea centaurium. "Erythraea" referring to "red" and "centaurium" to "centaur." Even older sources referred to it as centaury gentian or Gentiana centaurium due to its similarity to gentian.
Botanical Description Bi-annual herbaceous plant with basal rosette of leaves and clusters of 5-petaled pink flowers (2). The stem is erect and square reaching up to 12 inches with much branching out at the top. The leaves are shiny and light green.
There are many species of Centaurium and others in the Gentianaceae family that are easily mistaken for this species. Some constituent studies have also been done on those species but there is not much research available, yet.
Habitat
Centaury is native to parts of Europe (from the Mediterranean region to Britain and Scandinavia 6) and southwest Asia but has been introduced globally to temperate regions (2). It can be found in "…moist meadows, grassland[s] and clearings at low elevations…" (10) It can now be found cultivated in the United States (6).
Taste Bitter, Astringent (5). Centaury is listed on the FDA's GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) list as a flavoring (12).
Temperature Cooling
Channels Being a digestive bitter, centaury most likely works on the meridians of the stomach, liver, gallbladder, small intestines, and large intestines.
Reported Actions (summary from all sources) More supported: Appetite stimulant, stomachic, sialogogue, chologogue, antimalarial, lithotriptic, hepatic, bitter tonic, antioxidant.
Less supported: Antiphlogistic, sedative, febrifuge, hypotensive, anthelmintic, vulnerary
Indications (2, 4, 8 ) Anorexia, kidney stones, anemia, as well as all digestive problems, including dyspepsia, constipation, flatulence, heartburn, etc.
Centaury is also indicated for liver toxicity-related sluggishness, nausea, irritability, skin problems, headaches, or pain in the liver region.
Major Constituents & Pharmacodynamics Alkaloids, monoterpenoids, triterpenoids, phenolic acids, flavanoids, xanthones, fatty acids, alkanes, and waxes (2).
The bitter action stimulates the entire digestive reflex allowing for optimal absorption and uptake of nutrients. Centaury has been used in formulas for this action to increase iron uptake in those with anemia (4).
Since phenolic groups act as free-radical scavengers and bind to heavy metals, the antioxidant activity of centaury was studied using an infusion from the flowers. The conclusion was that the phenolic compounds either scavenged the superoxide radicals or noncompetively inhibited xanthine oxidase (11).
Current Research There are no human trials involving the use of centaury (5). However, there are numerous trials indicating the positive effects of bitter herbs on digestion-related ailments from food allergy reactions to blood sugar levels and diabetes (9).
Preparations and Doses Should be taken over several weeks for best effect. Should also be sipped slowly (2). Centaury is commonly found as a part of a formula, but may be taken alone as an infusion or tincture.
The infusion is made by pouring 1 cup of boiling water onto 1 tsp. of the dried herb and steeping, covered for 5-10 minutes. David Hoffman recommends drinking one cup half an hour before meals which would be the best way to take advantage of the digestive-aid properties (8).
The tincture can be found in 1:1 herb:menstrum ratio in 25% alcohol and is taken three times a day in 2-4ml increments (5).
Safety Contraindicated with ulcers of the stomach or intestines due to increased secretion of gastric acids (2). Can cause nausea in higher doses, depending on the person's sensitivity to the taste. This is why some sources say to "sip" the infusion before meals to get the taste reflex to stimulate digestion. There were no other safety factors to consider except that since there are no human clinical trials, one would be hesitant to use on infants or pregnant or breast-feeding mothers.
Please Note: The information contained in this section of the web site is directed toward people with technical knowledge in the botanical medicine field. We provide this information as a service to naturopathic physicians, pharmacognocists, pharmacists, midwives, plant chemists and medical herbalists and we encourage health professionals to obtain a more general education in the area before applying treatments to themselves or their patients. Bastyr University assumes no responsibility for the results obtained from using this information. If you have a serious or lingering health concern, it is important to discuss it with a health care provider.
