Golden Seal (Hydrastis canadensis) Flashcards
How do you recognise Golden Seal?
Endangered plant in both the USA and in Canada due to overharvesting of wild plants and from
habitat loss. Berberis and mahonia can replace use of Hydrastisfor some indications – eg for liver
What are Golden Seal’s main constituents?
Most actions attributed to the protoberberine alkaloids: berberine, hydrastine and canadine. Constituents: Protoberberine alkaloids (protoberberines are a sub- group of isoquinoline alkaloids): Berberine – usually perceived to be the main protagonist in terms of effects. Hydrastine. Canadine – may affect blood pressure (low doses hypotensive, large doses hypertensive!), uterine stimulant. Essential oil. Phytosterins
What family is Golden Seal in?
A member of the Ranunculaceae - buttercup family.
What is Golden Seal good for?
Summary: Mainly a mucus membrane trophorestorative - Bendle thinks of it as having a greater power for respiratory and digestive issues than plantain and ground ivy. Bendle thinks of Golden Seal for stomach and gut, but plantain and ground ivy for the gut not the stomach.
Used in tincture 1: 3 up to 5 – 20ml/week, sometimes up to 30 ml/week.
Actions:
* Mucus membrane trophorestorative
* It is also anti-invective, but it is expensive compared to the other two herbs
* Bitter, stomachic;
* Anticatarrhal;
* Antimicrobial and antifungal;
* Antibacterial;
* Bitter tonic;
* Antihaemorrhagic;
* Choleretic/cholagogue - helps make more bile and discharge it into the gut.
Applications:
* Catarrhal states of respiratory mucous membranes inclluding for sinusitis
* **Catarrh and sensitivity of mucous membranes of the digestive tract. **
* Acute infections: diarrhoea, giardiasis. Gastritis, peptic ulcer.
* Urine and pelvic haemorrhagic conditions, genitourinary tract discharge (slow acting)
* Eyewash especially for conjunctivitis, generally for short term.
* Used originally by Cherokee, Iroqois and Micmac people: As a wash for local infections. To improve the appetite & for debility & “dyspepsy”.
* For pneumonia, whooping cough & TB. As an eyewash.
* Also for problems with liver, heart and cancer. As a dye. (All from Native American Ethnobotany Database) .
What is Golden Seal’s Latin name?
Hydrastis canadensis
What parts of Golden Seal do you use?
Roots are used.
What safety issues might Golden Seal have?
Safety: Possibly initiates uterine contractions – caution in pregnancy. May increase liver clearance of orthodox drugs – be wary if patients on Rx where blood levels are crucial.
What useful research does Golden Seal have?
External links: Summary of info on Hydrastis at NCBI - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK350390/ Advice on growing goldenseal in UK https://www.theherbalistulverston.co.uk/goldenseal Bone and Mills Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy = good summary re Berberine
What remedies can you use Hydrastis in?
Sinusutis treatment
