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Gentiana algida, Spang rgyan

Alpine Gentian, Small-leaf Gentian
Spang rgyan  སྤང་རྒྱན  (Tibet)
Bai Hua Long Dan (TCM)
Gentiana algida
Gartenflora [E. von Regel], vol. 29 (1880)

Gentiana algida
(Photo by Alpsdake) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:
Gentiana spp.
  1. Spang rgyan dkar po (White variety): G. algida (syn. G. nubigena) (Primary medicine)
  2. Spang rgyan sngon po: G. veitchiorum
  3. Spang rgyan nag po: G. phyllacalyx
  4. Spang rgyan khra po: G. sinoornata
The White variety is principally used.

Parts used:
Flower; Whole herb

Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Bitter

Uses:
1. Clears Heat, Stops Cough: (Tibet, TCM)
-Cough, Bronchitis, Asthma
-Lung infection including Pneumonia
-Sore Throat, Pharyngitis, Hoarseness
-White variety is used for Lung disorders

2. Drains Fire, Resists Poison: (Tibet, TCM)
-Infectious and Toxic Fever
-Fever from Poisoning
-chronic skin diseases, Small Pox (Black variety)
-heat disorders of the Eyes (White variety)

3. Clears Heat and Damp: (TCM)
-Headache from Liver heat
-painful dribbling Urine
-Skin diseases, Eczema, Scrotal Eczema


DOSE:
1–3 grams in Powder

SUBSTITUTE:
Common Gentian or Gentian Long Dan Cao may be used in its place, but this is more specific for Lung disorders.

Main Combinations:
1. Cough, Bronchitis, Sore Throat, Gentiana algida with Clove, Tabasheer, Licorice, Costus, Chebulic Myrobalan (as in Clove 6 of Tibetan Medicine)
2. Bronchial Asthma, to Clove 6 (above), add Cinnamon, Raisin, Bistort, Pomegranate, Saffron (as in Clove 11 of Tibetan Medicine)
3. For the '7Types of Throat Disease' (Laryngitis, pharyngitis, hoarseness, loss of voice, swollen sore throat etc). Gentiana algida with Chebula, Tabasheer, Licorice, Rhodiola, Cardamon and Clove (as in Pill for Throat diseases of Tibetan Medicine)
4. Chronic Cough, Wheezing, Breathlessness from Lung weakness, Gentiana algida with Triphala, Elecampane, Licorice, Raisin, Rhodiola (as in Principle 25 of Tibetan Medicine)

Major Formulas:
Clove 6 (Li shi drug pa) (Tibetan Medicine)
Clove 11 (Li shi bcu gcig) (Tibetan Medicine)
Gentiana algida 15 (Spang rgyan dkar po 15) (Tibetan Medicine)
Principle 25 (Gtso bo nyer lnga) (Tibetan Medicine)

Cautions:
Avoid in Cold and Weak Stomach

Main Preparations used: