Centaurium erythraea. C. minus, Erythraea centaurium  Small centaury, European centaury   Family: Gentianaceae  
PART USED: Aerial parts. Gathered when in flower.
TASTE: Bitter ODOR: Distinct, slight
ACTIONS
GROUP: Digestion- Bitters
1. Bitter tonic.[1.2,3] Aromatic.[3]
2. Cholagogue. Hepatic.
3. Aperitive.
4. Stomachic.[1.2,3] Tonic.[3]
5. Aromatic.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Anorexia.[1] Dyspepsia.[1,3] Disorders of the upper digestive tract.[3]
2. Jaundice. Liver and gall bladder complaints in a similar manner to Gentian.[3]
3. Amenorrhea.
4. Muscular rheumatism.
5. Edema.
6. Debility, Intermittent fevers.
SPECIFIC INDICATIONS: Anorexia, expecially in children with gastric or hepatic weakness.[1]
COMBINATIONS
- Dyspepsia, use with Meadowsweet, Chamomile and Marshmallow Root.
- Anorexia nervosa, use with Chamomile and Burdock.
- Jaundice- use with Berberis and Yellow Dock Root.
PREPARATIONS  3X /day
Dried Herb  2-4 g.[1,2]
Infusion  2-4 g in  40-80 ml water.[2]
Fluid Extract  1:1 in 25% alcohol  2-4 ml.[1,3]
ORIGIN: Europe, naturalised in North America.
DESCRIPTION: Stem up to 30 cm high, bearing opposite, lanceolate-ovate leaves having 3-5 longitudinal ribs, hairless, and entire at margins. Flowers pink, with twisted anthers.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research
It has some antipyretic activity which is thought to be due to the phenolic acids.[1]
References
[1] Lacroix, R. et al. (1973) Tunisie Med. 51,327

Antioxidant activity of Centaurium erythraea infusion evidenced by its superoxide radical scavenging and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity.
Valentão P, Fernandes E, Carvalho F, Andrade PB, Seabra RM, Bastos ML.
Abstract
Centaurium erythraea Rafin. (Gentianaceae) has long been used in traditional medicine. This plant contains considerable amounts of polyphenolic compounds, namely, xanthones and phenolic acids as the main constituents. Because phenolic groups exhibit activity as radical scavengers and/or metal chelators, this study evaluated the superoxide radical scavenging properties of a lyophilized infusion obtained from C. erythraea flowering tops. Superoxide radical scavenging activity was assayed using enzymatic (xanthine/xanthine oxidase) and nonenzymatic (NADH/phenazine methosulfate) superoxide generating systems. This study provided evidence that C. erythraea exhibits interesting antioxidant properties, expressed either by the capacity to scavenge superoxide radical or to noncompetitively inhibit xanthine oxidase. The main phenolic compounds present in this extract were several esters of hydroxycinnamic acids, namely, p-coumaric, ferulic, and sinapic acids.
PMID: 11453794  
J Agric Food Chem. 2001 Jul;49(7):3476-9. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Gastroprotective effect of small centaury (Centaurium erythraea L) on aspirin-induced gastric damage in rats.
Tuluce Y, Ozkol H, Koyuncu I, Ine H.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the antiulcer and antioxidant activities of Centaurium erythraea L (small centaury) in aspirin (ASA) induced acute gastric ulcer model. The gastroprotective effect of the 50% aqueous-ethanolic small centaury (SC) extract was investigated in rats at a dose of ASA 200 mg/kg body weight. Twenty-one Sprague-Dawley albino rats were divided into three groups of seven rats each as follows: (1) control group; (2) acute ASA-treated group and (3) ASA plus SC group. At the end of the 4-h drug administration, ulcer index, oxidant and antioxidant levels were measured and compared between the groups. The percentage of lesion area to total gastric surface area (ulcer index) was significantly reduced (77%) in ASA plus SC group as compared with acute ASA-treated group. The oral administration of ASA decreased catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), and increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels. Although myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was increased by ASA, it was found to be lower in the ASA plus SC group. GSH and Vitamin A levels were determined higher in the ASA plus SC group compared with ASA group. These results suggest that SC extract protects against ASA-induced damage due to its antioxidizing activity.
PMID: 21415093 DOI: 10.1177/0748233710397421  Toxicol Ind Health. 2011 Sep;27(8):760-8. doi: 10.1177/0748233710397421. Epub 2011 Mar 17. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Centaurium erythraea Rafn, Artemisia herba-alba Asso and Trigonella foenum-graecum L. on liver fat accumulation in C57BL/6J mice with high-fat diet-induced type 2 diabetes.
Hamza N, Berke B, Cheze C, Marais S, Lorrain S, Abdouelfath A, Lassalle R, Carles D, Gin H, Moore N.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
Centaurium erythraea Rafn (CE), Artemisia herba-alba Asso (AHA) and Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (TFG) are traditionally used to treat type 2 diabetes in Algeria, previous studies have found that extracts of these plants were effective to treat or prevent experimental diabetes induced by high-fat diet (HFD).
AIM OF THE STUDY:
Describe the additional effects of these extracts on lipid tissue deposition in HFD.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Male C57BL/6J mice were fed with HFD to induce type 2 Diabetes. Groups of mice were given plant extracts orally at 2g/kg/bodyweight daily for 20 weeks during establishment of diabetes, or for 18 weeks after confirmation of diabetes at the 17th week. Liver and other tissue samples were stained with Oil Red O.
RESULTS:
Liver steatosis was confirmed with HFD. CE, AHA and TFG extracts improved liver steatosis by the end of the preventive (20 weeks) and curative periods (35 weeks). This was most marked for CE extract (p<0.05), less so with TFG and AHA. No steatosis was found in other tissues.
CONCLUSION:
CE extract had a clear hepatoprotective effect in this mouse model of diet-induced type 2 diabetes. AHA and TFG had a minimal or no significant effect on steatosis. Beyond its effect as an antidiabetic agent, CE may also be promising to prevent or treat non-alcoholic liver steatosis.
PMID: 26023031 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.05.027  J Ethnopharmacol. 2015 Aug 2;171:4-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.05.027. Epub 2015 May 25. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hepatoprotective activity of Centaurium erythraea on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
Mroueh M, Saab Y, Rizkallah R.
Abstract
The methanol extract of the leaves of Centaurium erythraea L. (Gentianaceae) was evaluated for hepatoprotective activity against acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity in rats. An oral dose of 300 mg/kg/day for 6 days or a single dose of 900 mg/kg for 1 day exhibited a significant protective effect by lowering serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The activity of the extract was supported by histopathological examination of liver sections.
PMID: 15174008 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.1498  Phytother Res. 2004 May;18(5):431-3. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Centaurium erythraea methanol extract protects red blood cells from oxidative damage in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
Ðordevic M, Mihailovic M, Arambašic Jovanovic J, Grdovic N, Uskokovic A, Tolic A, Sinadinovic M, Rajic J, Mišic D, Šiler B, Poznanovic G, Vidakovic M, Dinic S.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
Centaurium erythraea Rafn (CE) is a traditional medicinal herb in Serbia with antidiabetic, digestive, antipyretic and antiflatulent effects AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the potential protective effects of the methanol extract of the aerial parts of CE against glyco-oxidative stress in red blood cells (RBCs) in rats with experimentally induced diabetes.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
Diabetes was induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of multiple low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) (40mg/kg, for five consecutive days), with the 1st day after the last STZ injection taken as the day of diabetes onset. The methanol extract of CE (100mg/kg) was administered orally and daily, two weeks before the first STZ injection, during the 5-day treatment with STZ, and for four weeks after the STZ injections (pre-treated group) or for four weeks after diabetes onset (post-treated group). The effect of CE extract administration on the redox status of RBCs was evaluated by assessing lipid peroxidation, the ratio of reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG), the level of S-glutathionylated proteins (GSSP) and the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) in RBCs four weeks after diabetes onset. The major biochemical parameters of diabetes, protein glycation/glycosylation of erythrocytes and parameters which correlate with their aggregation and deformability were also evaluated.
RESULTS:
Daily application of CE extract to STZ-induced diabetic rats provided important antidiabetic effects, observed in both pre-treated and post-treated groups of diabetic rats as elevated serum insulin concentration, reduction of blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin concentrations and an improved lipid profile. Antioxidant effects of CE extract were detected in RBCs of diabetic rats and observed as decreased lipid peroxidation and ameliorated oxidative damage as a result of increased SOD, CAT and GR activities, an improved GSH/GSSG ratio and reduced GSSP levels. Moreover, the CE extract protected RBC proteins from hyperglycemia-induced damage by reducing non-enzymatic glycation and enzymatic glycosylation processes. CE extract was more effective when applied before diabetes induction (pre-treated group).
CONCLUSIONS:
The results of this study show that the Centaurium erythraea methanol extract protects RBCs in diabetic animals from oxidative damage. They provide additional support for the application of this traditionally used plant in diabetes management.
PMID: 28323046 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.03.016  
J Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Apr 18;202:172-183. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.03.016. Epub 2017 Mar 16. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov