posted May 30, 2000 10:23 PM            

Family Ranunculaceae
Hydrastis canadensis

Synonyms: Yellow root, yellow Puccoon, Wild Curcuma, Turmeric Root

Description: This perennial bush is native to the moist woods and damp meadows of Eastern North America. It has a rough, wrinkled yellow root with a distinctive odour and taste. In the past, people altered other roots to look like Goldenseal, due to the high price it commands. It is hard to be fooled once you know its appearance. The stem is simple, hairy, eight to twenty inches tall, and has three to five lobed, dark green leaves that become four to ten inches broad in the summer. The small, solitary flower appears in May and June and is white or rose. The characteristic berries are small and resemble raspberries.

Part Used: root, sometimes leaves.

Constituents: The most important principles of goldenseal are a group of isoquinoline alkaloids consisting mainly of hydrastine (1.5 - 4%), berberastine (2 - 3%) and berberine (0.5 - 6%), lesser amounts of canadine, candaline, and related alkaloids. Hydrastine occurs in both free and combined forms. Other constituents include meconin, chlorogenic acid, and lipids with 75% unsaturated and 25% saturated fatty acids; resin, starch, sugar, and a small amount of volatile oil.

Mode of action: Goldenseal is a herb specific for the mucous membranes (often called "the King of the Mucous Membranes"). It is used for its astringent and tonic action, for congestion and chronic inflammation of the respiratory and urogenital tracts, catarrhal affliction of the nose, and chronic gastritis and enteritis. It has been used for catarrh of the bladder, hepatic congestion, and eye inflammation. Goldenseal is specifically used for inflammation of the vagina, uterus, and urethra. The important action of Goldenseal is on the mucous membranes of the intestine and stomach. Goldenseal has been found beneficial in cases of chronic constipation, haemorrhoids, and anal fissures. Hydrastis is valuable for disorders of the uterus as it causes "uterine contraction and is used in menorrhagia and dysmenorrhea."

It has been considered useful for arresting bleeding from the uterus and for profuse menstruation. Goldenseal can be beneficial for relieving menstrual pain. The British Pharmaceutical Codex 1934 states the Hydrastis is useful in controlling uterine hemorrhage, in inflammation of the uterine mucosa and in leucorrhea.

Berberine has shown activity against a wide range of microbes (see barberry). As an immunostimulator it increases blood supply to the spleen, activates macrophages, and has tumor inhibitory action.

Externally, Goldenseal is valuable for chronic inflammation of mucous membranes, cracks and fissures of the nipples, indolent ulcers, and as a lotion to stop profuse sweating. Goldenseal or its alkaloids are useful as an eyewash.

Extractum Hydrastis Liquidum has been given for chronic constipation with hypochlorhydria.

Therapeutic action: Tonic, alterative, aperient, cholagogue.

Energetics: Holmes lists goldenseal as bitter and astringent, being cold with warming potential, and dry. The secondary qualities are decongesting, astringing, restoring, stimulating and stabilizing movement. Goldenseal enters the Spleen, Liver, Stomach, Colon, Chong and Ren meridians; influencing stomach, intestines, lungs, heart, reproductive organs, bladder, kidneys, liver, gall bladder and veins. The organism is fluid, Tri dosa increases Vayu, while decreasing Kapha and Pitta.

Folklore: Shown to the first settlers of North America by the natives, this herb has been used as a stomach tonic specific to controlling the mucous membranes. It was also used for sore eyes and for general ulceration. It was also considered a major remedy for various forms of catarrh. Specific uses are dyspepsia, gastric catarrh, loss of appetite and liver troubles. It has been used in many patent medicines (OTC - over the counter) throughout North America and Europe for over a century.

This herb comes to us from Native North Americans. It was popular among herbalists but not well known commercially until the early 1800's. Subsequently it was heavily used, from the Eclectic physicians up to the present day (both in Europe and America). The Cherokee, Iroquois and Micmac are known to have used goldenseal. The Iroquois made especially broad use of the plant.

Dosage:
Average Dose - 0.6 - 2.6 grams
Extract BP - 0.03 - 0.12 gram
Tincture BP - 2.0 - 2.0 ml.

Goldenseal has been officially recognized by most Western pharmacopeias.