Goldenseal -- A Traditional Native American
Herb
with Many Uses
Goldenseal, Latin name Hydrastis
Canadensis, is one of the most popular herbs used in herbal remedies today.
Goldenseal has traditionally operated as a traditional healing herb of Native Americans but it
has entered the European herbal cabinet with zeal. Traditionally, the Cherokee used goldenseal as an herbal
treatment for indigestion, local inflammations, and to improve appetite. The Iroquois, meanwhile, used Goldenseal
to treat heart problems, liver disorders, and whooping cough and to treat fevers. Goldenseal reached European
shores around 1760. During the nineteenth century, Goldenseal had become a popular favorite with practitioners
of the Eclectic and Thomsonian schools of medicine. In 1926, Goldenseal was included in the list of United States
medicinal ingredients in the Pharmacopoeia.
The character of Goldenseal has alternately been described as bitter, dry, astringent, and cold. The plants
constituents are described as resins, volatile oils, and alkaloids. Herbalists traditionally describe the actions
of Goldenseal as astringent, a digestive and bile stimulant, a tonic, and a laxative. Goldenseal has also been used
to reduce phlegm, to heal gastric mucous membranes, and to raise blood pressure.
The part of the Goldenseal plant that is most commonly used is the rhizome. The rhizome is traditionally
harvested in the fall, and it is the main ingredient in many herbal remedies. Many traditional herbalists recommend
the rhizome of the Goldenseal plant as an excellent drying and mucus-reducing remedy that works well for the
gastric, upper respiratory tract. It is also used for the vaginal mucous membranes. The rhizome of the Goldenseal
plant is also used to treat conditions involving the spastic colon (mucous colitis), nasal inflammations, and ear
infections. In essence, Goldenseal is very much an herbal remedy for ear, nose and throat problems. But it has many
other applications as well. The Goldenseal plant is often used as an herbal remedy to treat gynecological problems.
It can help reduce the severity of menopausal symptoms, and it has been known to ease the pain associated with
premenstrual symptoms, especially symptoms linked to stagnation. The rhizome of the Goldenseal plant can often be
found in commercial herbal remedies as a tonic.
Even though Goldenseal has proven itself to be a very effective healing herb, there are some cautions
you must take when ingesting herbal remedies that feature Goldenseal as one of its main ingredients. For
instance, Goldenseal is well known as a powerful uterine stimulant, so its use should be avoided by women who are
pregnant. Goldenseal is also well known as a hypertensive, so it should be avoided in known cases of high blood
pressure. Also, you should not use herbal remedies containing Goldenseal for an ear infection if you know that
there is a risk that an eardrum is perforated. Another caveat: avoid ingesting fresh Goldenseal plant. Eating fresh
Golden seal plant has been known to cause ulceration of the mucous membranes. It is a very potent plant. Also, if
you suffer from digestive complaints, many herbalists recommend that you take barberry for these types of
complaints because Goldenseal has recently become very endangered in the wild.
Disclaimer: Statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA, and are not
made by a licensed medical practitioner or physician.
| 
