View photos of the medicinal plant Gentiana parryi (Parry’s  gentian), profiled in Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States.

A passage from Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States:

Another Gentian family plant, Green gentian, will have a more pronounced stimulatory effect on the liver and intestines. Yet Gentian too augments these areas, though indirectly: stimulate upper gastric response enough and lower functions usually follow. Although the plant is only a mild stimulant to hepatic secretions, it is diminishing to liver inflammation. Not quite as profound as Milk thistle or Turmeric, its application as a hepatoprotective in most inflammatory conditions of the area is worthwhile.

View photos of the medicinal plant Gentiana affinis (Pleated gentian), profiled in Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States.

A passage from Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States:

An often underutilized application of Gentian is as a restorative to digestive response when suppressed (or disrupted) due to anorexia nervosa, orthorexia, temporary feeding tube intervention, and other chronic gastrointestinal traumas. Taken 5–10 minutes before meals (or when a meal should be eaten) Gentian’s bitter tonic activity will help to reestablish the body’s normal digestive reaction to food.