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The dried root and rhizome of Gentiana manshurica, G. scabra, G. triflora, or G. rigescens (Gentianaceae). Enters the Liver and Gallbladder channels. Bitter and cold, it is the primary herb for draining Liver-Gallbladder repletion fire and clearing lower-burner damp-heat. Li Dongyuan's Long Dan Xie Gan Tang uses it as chief to treat ascending Liver-Gallbladder fire and lower-burner damp-heat conditions.
清热燥湿、泻肝胆实火力强，用于肝胆湿热、实火上炎诸证
缓其苦寒之性，引药上行，用于头目肝火之证
内服煎汤3–6g；龙胆大苦大寒，用量不宜过大，以免伤胃损阳。外用适量，煎水洗或研末敷患处。
Reference range for non-pregnant adults. Not a personalized prescription. Pregnancy, lactation, and pediatric use require specialist supervision.
Protective guidance only — when to avoid or use with caution. This block deliberately omits pregnancy, lactation, and pediatric dosing: any such use must be managed by a qualified TCM practitioner or appropriate specialist.
大苦大寒，脾胃虚寒者慎用，无湿热实火者忌服。脾虚便溏、阴虚津伤者不宜。
大苦大寒，易伤脾胃，空腹慎服，以免致呕。久服或大量使用可致纳呆、头痛、面赤。脾胃虚寒、阳虚畏寒者禁用。须严格辨证，中病即止。
味苦涩，寒。主骨间寒热，惊痫邪气，续绝伤，定五脏，杀蛊毒。
上品
@misc{bencaodian-long-dan-cao,
author = {{Bencaodian Editorial}},
title = {Lóng Dǎn Cǎo 龙胆草 (Chinese Gentian Root) — Gentianae Radix et Rhizoma},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Bencao Dian: A Bilingual Knowledge Graph of Traditional Chinese Medicine},
url = {https://bencaodian.org/en/herbs/long-dan-cao},
urldate = {2026-04-17},
note = {CC BY-SA 4.0}
}© Bencaodian Editorial · Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
龙胆草含裂环环烯醚萜苷及生物碱，具苦味健胃、保肝、利胆、抗炎及降压作用。
Gentiana contains secoiridoid glycosides and alkaloids with bitter stomachic, hepatoprotective, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive activity.
龙胆苦苷刺激苦味受体反射性促进胃液分泌，并显示保肝利胆作用。
Gentiopicroside stimulates bitter receptors to reflexively promote gastric secretion and shows hepatoprotective and choleretic action.
龙胆大苦大寒，清肝胆湿热下焦湿热，为龙胆泻肝汤主药。
Intensely bitter and cold — clears liver-gallbladder and lower-burner damp-heat; chief herb of Long Dan Xie Gan Tang.
《中国药典》以龙胆苦苷含量（不少于 3.0%）为质量指标。
Chinese Pharmacopoeia specifies gentiopicroside (≥3.0%) as the quality marker.
This section is provided for academic reference only and does not constitute medical advice.