A bitter compound found in gentian plants that contributes to their characteristic sharp, unpleasant taste.
From gentian plus the suffix -picrin (related to picric, meaning extremely bitter). The term was coined by chemists analyzing the active compounds in gentian root used for traditional medicine.
Gentian root is so bitter that tiny amounts—just a pinch—can flavor an entire herbal tea, and gentiopicrin is a major reason why. Paradoxically, this terrible bitterness is therapeutic: it stimulates digestive juices and has been trusted by herbalists for 2,000 years.
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