Jantiyana - bitter gourd

Essence.
The gentian leaves adjacent to the root are similar to the leaves of the walnut and the leaves of the great plantain; they are red in color, and their middle and edges are jagged; the stem of the gentian is hollow, smooth, as thick as a finger and up to two cubits long; its leaves are far apart from each other, and its fruits sit in funnels. Its root is elongated, similar to the root of Aristolochia.

Gentian grows on mountains, in the shade and in damp places. They say that it was called Jantiyana because the first person to recognize its properties was King Jantin. Its place of growth is on the tops of high mountains, and squeezed juice is prepared from it, which is infused in water for up to five days, then boiled, filtered and concentrated until it becomes thick like honey, after which it is consumed.

Choice.
The best gentian is Rumica; it is the reddest and hardest. Its woody parts and roots are as thick as a finger, more or less; their color is dark yellow, and at the break it is bright yellow, close to the color of rhubarb. This plant is bitter.

Nature.
Hot in the third degree, dry in the second.

Actions and properties.
Gentian opens blockages and is somewhat astringent, while its root strongly opens, loosens and cleanses.

Cosmetics.
Gentian root reduces bahak, especially its squeezed juice mentioned above.

Wounds and ulcers.
Gentian, especially its squeezed juice, heals corroded wounds and ulcers.

Tools with joints.
Two dirhams of it are drunk in wine to relieve the nerves; she helps someone who has fallen from a high place.

Organs of the eye.
An ointment for eye inflammation is prepared from gentian.

Respiratory and chest organs.
Two dirhams of squeezed gentian juice is a good cure for pleurisy.

Nutritional organs.
Gentian opens blockages in the liver and spleen. Two dirhams of gentian in wine are drunk for pain in the liver and spleen and for coldness and swelling in these organs. Drinking from its root is good for the stomach damaged by cold.

Eruption organs.
Gentian drives urine and menstruation, and its root is administered in the form of a suppository, and this removes and discards the fruit.

Poisons.
Gentian is the most effective medicine for scorpion stings. Two dirhams of gentian in wine help against the bites of any reptile, the bite of a mad dog and the bite of all wild animals.

Substitutes.
Gentian can be replaced with hoof, taking one and a half times more of it, or half the weight of caper root peel.