Goldenseal — Hydrastis canadensis L.
Goldenseal is a low-growing perennial herb that I started to personally use several years ago when I came across a little tincture bottle of it at my local grocery store. It has been an interesting journey with this wonderfully bitter herb but is now a staple in my herbal Fall/Winter wellness kit. Due to its status from United Plant Savers, I recommend looking into if you really need this herb or not.
Goldenseal is considered to be ranked among the top herbal supplements that are sold in U.S. natural food stores and can commonly be found combined with echinacea spp. The medicinal value of goldenseal is attributed to its alkaloidal constituents of berberine and hydrastine.
Native Americans have used goldenseal for many, many years to address ailments such as dropsy, skin diseases, indolent ulcers, gonorrhea, liver and stomach disorders, and as a tonic. An infusion of goldenseal was used as a remedy for sore eyes and the root was chewed for cases of sore mouth.
- Latin Name: Hydrastis canadensis
- Common Names: Goldenseal, Yellow Root, Orange Root
- Family: Ranunculaceae
- Parts Used: Root, rhizome
- Native Habitat: Deep, rich woods, moist soil, part shade
- Endangered/Threatened Status: Endangered in Connecticut, George, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Vermont. Threatened in Maryland, Michigan, New York. Special Concern and Commercially Exploited in Tennessee. Vulnerable in Pennsylvania. Special Concern and Endangered in North Carolina.
- Constituents: Isoquinoline alkaloids: hydrastine, berberine; fatty acids; resin; phenylpropanoids (meconin, chlorogenic acid); phytosterins; a small amount of volatile oil.
- Pharmacological Actions and Uses: Bitter, antihemorrhagic, anticatarrhal, mucous membrane trophorestorative, antibacterial, depurative, vulnerary, oxytocic, hepatic, alterative, antispasmodic, sedative, anticatarrhal, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, laxative, emmenagogue, oxytocic, mucous membrane tonic, digestive, peptic ulcers, colitis, stimulate bile production and secretion, loss of appetite, catarrhal conditions, stimulate the immune system,
- Safety/Contraindications: DO NOT USE if you suffer from high blood pressure, have kidney disease, have kidney failure, acute inflammation of the stomach, jaundice in newborns, are pregnant and/or nursing. The prolonged usage of goldenseal may decrease the absorption of vitamin B. DO NOT TAKE if you are taking anticoagulants/antiplatelets, or drugs that displace the protein binding of bilirubin.
References
- https://www.integrativepro.com/Resources/Integrative-Blog/2017/Goldenseal-Benefits-Dosing
- https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=hyca
- https://unitedplantsavers.org/goldenseal-hydrastis-canadensis/
- https://www.iucn.org/news/species/201711/unregulated-wild-collection-and-habitat-loss-lead-vulnerable-status-medicinal-goldenseal
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/hydrastis
- https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=hyca
- The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs — Mark Blumenthal, American Botanical Council
- American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook 2nd Edition — AHPA
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