Evidence supporting the use of: Bitter principals
For the health condition: Gall Bladder (sluggish or removed)
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2
Bitter principles—compounds found in plants such as gentian, dandelion, and artichoke—have a long history of use in traditional European herbal medicine for supporting digestive health, including conditions associated with the gall bladder. The rationale in traditional medicine is that bitter compounds stimulate the taste receptors, which then increases saliva production and triggers a cascade of digestive secretions, including bile from the liver and gall bladder. This is believed to aid fat digestion and support overall liver and gall bladder function, especially in cases of sluggish bile flow or after gall bladder removal (cholecystectomy), to compensate for the reduced or absent bile storage and release. However, scientific validation of these effects is limited. While some studies have shown that bitters can increase saliva and gastric secretions, direct evidence of a significant effect on bile flow or gall bladder function in humans is sparse. Most clinical evidence remains anecdotal or comes from small, uncontrolled studies. There is some preliminary support for bitters aiding in dyspepsia or indigestion, which may indirectly benefit people with gall bladder issues, but robust, large-scale trials are lacking. Thus, their use is primarily justified by tradition, with limited scientific backing.
More about Bitter principals
More about Gall Bladder (sluggish or removed)
Other ingredients used for Gall Bladder (sluggish or removed)
appleartichoke
barberry
beet
bovine
bupleurum falcatum
burdock
chicory
turmeric
dandelion
ginger
horseradish
lemon
licorice root
lipase
milk thistle
mustard seed
oregon grape
ox bile
pancreatin
parsley
pear
phellodendron amurense
phosphatidylcholine
silymarin
triphala
atractylodes
papaya
Indian bael
punarnava
fumaria parviflora
peony
goldenrod
bile salt
myrrh
cornsilk
birch
couch grass
cleavers
enzymes blend (proprietary)
Avens
Angelica
American Liverleaf
Brassica
Berberis (unspecified)
Bitter Grass
boldo
Baccharoides anthelmintica
Bur-Reed
Bile
Black Nightshade
Bitter principals
bile acid
Bupleurum
Boerhavia diffusa
cholic acid
Carqueja
Cynarin
Costus
Castor Oil
Colocynth
Dianthus
Duodenal Substance
Dehydrocholic acid
Endive
Fiber
Other health conditions supported by Bitter principals
Acid IndigestionAppetite (deficient)
Belching
Colds (general)
Colic (adults)
Colic (children)
Constipation (adults)
Digestion (poor)
Dyspepsia
Gall Bladder (sluggish or removed)
Gas and Bloating
Gastritis
Indigestion
Infection
Inflammation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Liver Detoxification
Nausea and Vomiting
Sugar Cravings
Ulcers
Wounds and Sores