Symptom → Plant Sources

Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) and Loss of appetite: evidence and sources

Preliminary evidence

Aromatic bitter tonic for temporary loss of appetite

For educational purposes only, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants, especially alongside prescribed medication, during pregnancy, or for a serious condition.

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Assessment report on Centaurium erythraea Rafn s.l., herba (Centaurii herba)

European Medicines Agency (HMPC) · n.d.

Traditional / referenceCentauryCommon centauryEuropean centauryFeverwortCentaurium erythraea

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Centaury (Centaurium erythraea): Benefits, Safety, Uses

Herbal Reality · n.d.

Traditional / referenceCentauryCommon centauryEuropean centauryFeverwortCentaurium erythraea

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2 sources supporting Centaury for Loss of appetite. Includes scientific publications, books, monographs and traditional-use references.

Mechanistic basis

This use is associated with the plant's bitter digestive tonic / stomachic action. Further evidence for that pharmacology:

Phytochemical properties, biological activities and medicinal use of Centaurium erythraea Rafn

El Menyiy, N., Guaouguaou, F.E., El Baaboua, A., El Omari, N., Taha, D. and others · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · 2021

Traditional / referenceCentauryCommon centauryEuropean centauryFeverwortCentaurium erythraea

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Ethnopharmacological relevance Centaurium erythraea is an important medicinal plant in many countries, e.g. Morocco, Algeria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and countries of Balkan Peninsula. It is used in folk medicine to treat various illnesses. It is also used as an antiapoplectic, anticoagulant, anticholagogue, antipneumonic, hematocathartic, and as a hypotensive agent. Aim of the review In this review, previous reports on the taxonomy, botanical description, geographic distribution, ethnomedicinal applications, phytochemistry, pharmacological properties, and toxicity of Centaurium erythraea were critically summarized. Materials and methods Scientific search engines including PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Web of Science, Scopus, Wiley Online, SciFinder, and Google Scholar were consulted to collect data on C. erythraea. The data presented in this work summarized the main reports on C. erythraea phytochemical compounds, ethnomedicinal uses, and pharmacological activities. Results C. erythraea is used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases such as diabetes, fever, rhinitis, stomach ailments, urinary tract infections, dyspeptic complaints, loss of appetite, and hemorrhoids, and as diuretic. The essential oils and extracts of C. erythraea exhibited numerous biological properties such as antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, antileishmanial, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, diuretic, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, dermatoprotective, neuroprotective, and inhibitory agent for larval development. Phytochemical characterization of C. erythraea revealed the presence of several classes of secondary metabolites such as xanthonoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and fatty acids. Conclusions Ethnomedicinal studies demonstrated the use of C. erythraea for the treatment of various disorders. Pharmacological reports showed that C. erythraea especially its aerial parts and roots exhibited potent, and beneficial activities. These findings confirmed the link between the traditional medicinal use and the results of the scientific biological experiments. Considering these results, further investigation using diverse in vivo pharmacological assays are strongly recommended to validate the results of its traditional use. Toxicological tests and pharmacokinetic studies are also required to validate the safety and efficacy of C. erythraea and its bioactive contents.