Centauri herba

Authors:Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer, Prof. Dr. med. Martina Bacharach-Buhles

All authors of this article

Last updated on: 03.04.2024

Dieser Artikel auf Deutsch

Synonym(s)

Bitter herb; Centaury; Feverfew; Herba Centaurii

Requires free registration (medical professionals only)

Please login to access all articles, images, and functions.

Our content is available exclusively to medical professionals. If you have already registered, please login. If you haven't, you can register for free (medical professionals only).


Requires free registration (medical professionals only)

Please complete your registration to access all articles and images.

To gain access, you must complete your registration. You either haven't confirmed your e-mail address or we still need proof that you are a member of the medical profession.

Finish your registration now

DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.

Centaurii herba, also known as centaury , is a drug made from the dried, above-ground parts of the flowering plant. Extracts of the plant are used in herbal medicines to treat dyspeptic complaints and loss of appetite, among other things. The bitter value of the drug is (n.Ph.Eur) at least 2000. The bitter value of the flowers is 12,000.

HMPC monograph: Traditional-use: mild dyspeptic and gastrointestinal complaints, intermittent loss of appetite

ESCOP mon ograph: for dyspeptic complaints and loss of appetite.
Commission e-monograph: for loss of appetite and dyspeptic complaints.

Empirical medicine: Chronic dyspeptic conditions, achylia

IngredientsThis section has been translated automatically.

Centaury contains flavonoids, xanthone derivatives, secoiridoid bitter compounds (these occur mainly in the flowers) such as amarogentine, gentianin, and swertiamarin (cf. the almost identical bitter compounds of Gentianae radix, the gentian root). Further ingredients are phenolic carboxylic acids such as caffeic and syringaic acid. According to DAB, the drug must have a bitter value of at least 2,000.

EffectsThis section has been translated automatically.

Centaury stimulates the secretion of celery and gastric juices; furthermore, the drug has an appetite-stimulating, antiphlogistic and antipyretic effect.

Field of application/useThis section has been translated automatically.

Centaury is used to treat dyspeptic and gastrointestinal problems and loss of appetite.

DosageThis section has been translated automatically.

The average daily dose of the drug is 6.0 g. It is mostly taken in the form of tea preparations and tinctures.

Undesirable effectsThis section has been translated automatically.

There are no known adverse effects.

ContraindicationThis section has been translated automatically.

Allergy to any of the ingredients, children and adolescents under 18 years, pregnancy and lactation, dyspeptic ulcers.

InteractionsThis section has been translated automatically.

There are no known interactions with other substances.

LiteratureThis section has been translated automatically.

  1. Behrens M et al. (2009) The human bitter taste receptor hTAS2R50 is activated by the two natural bitter terpenoids andrographolide and amarogentin. J Agric Food Chem 57:9860-9866.
  2. Huang C et al. (2016) Amarogentin Induces Apoptosis of Liver CancerCells via Upregulation of p53 and Downregulation of Human Telomerase ReverseTranscriptase in Mice. Technol Cancer Res Treat pii: 1533034616657976.
  3. Petlevski R et al. (2001) Effect of 'antidiabetis' herbal preparation on serum glucose and fructosamine in NOD mice.J Ethnopharmacol 75:181-184.
  4. Petlevski R et al. (2008) Toxicological assessment of P-9801091 plant mixture extract after chronic administration in CBA/HZg mice--a biochemical and histological study. Coll Antropol 32:577-581.
  5. Wölfle U et al. (2015) Amarogentin displays immunomodulatory effects in human mast cells and keratinocytes. Mediators Inflamm doi: 10.1155/2015/630128.
  6. Zhao JG et al. (2016) Amarogentin secoiridoid inhibits in vivo cancer cell growth in xenograft mice model and induces apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells (SNU-16) through G2/M cell cycle arrest and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. J BUON 21:609-617.
  7. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/tausendgueldenkraut.php.
  8. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/european-union-herbal-monograph-centaurium-erythraea-rafn-sl-herba_en.pdf
  9. Wenigmann M.(2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs phytopharmaceuticals application. Urban & Fischer: 5.108 Rock cinquefoil (Meliloti herba) pp 203-204.

Authors

Last updated on: 03.04.2024