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This perennial grows over 4 feet high and produces yellow flowers. It is native to central and southern European mountainous regions, but is cultivated elsewhere as well. Because it is intensely bitter, it has been used in brewing. In fact, in certain mountainous regions, the root is used in the manufacture of spirits.
The medicinal parts are the dried, underground parts of the plant and the fresh, above-ground parts. Its name derives from Gentius, King of Illyria (180-167 BC) who discovered the plant's healing value. It was used in the Middle Ages as an antidote to certain poisons. The plant works by stimulating the taste buds, which in turn prompt an increase in production of saliva and digestive juices.
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