Botanical Index No. 463

Goldenseal

hydrastis canadensis

Medicinal Actions

Alterative, Amebicide, Analgesic, Antiacetylcholinesterase, Antibacterial, Antialzheimeran, Antiarthritic, Anticancer, Anticariogenic, Anticonvulsant, Antihelicobacter, Antiinflammatory, Antimitotic, Antiperiodic, Antiperistaltic, Antipyretic, Antisecretory, Antiseptic, Antitrypanosomic, Antitussive, Antiulcer, Astringent, Bilirubinolytic, Cardiotonic, Choleretic, Deliriant, Depurative, Detergent, Digestive, Diuretic, Emetic, Emmenagogue, Fungicide, Hepatotonic, Hypertensive, Hypoglycemic, Hypotensive, Immunostimulant, Laxative, Myostimulant, Oxytocic, Protisticide, Secretagogue, Sedative, Sialagogue, Stomachic, Tonic, Trophorestorative, Uterotonic, Vibriocide

Primary Conditions Treated

Aperient Aperitif Bitter Collyrium Hallucinogen Hemostat Insectifuge Leukocytosis Mycosis Panacea Vasoconstrictor Vulnerary Acne Adenopathy Alcoholism Alzheimer’s Ameba Anorexia Aphtha Arrhythmia Arthrosis Asthma Bacteria Biliousness Bleeding Blepharosis Boil Bronchosis Cancer breast lip ovary pancreas skin stomach uterus Candida Canker Cardiopathy Catarrh Cervicosis Chafing Chancre Childbirth Chlamydia Cholecystosis Cholera Cold Colitis Congestion Conjunctivosis Constipation Convulsion Corn Cornea Cough Cramp Crohn’s Disease CVI Cystosis Dandruff Deafness Debility Dermatosis Diabetes Diarrhea Diphtheria Dropsy Duodenosis Dusgeusia Dysentery Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Earache Eczema Endometriosis Enterosis Epistaxis Epithelioma Exanthema Fever Fibroid Fistula Flu Fungus Gas Gastrosis Giardia Gingivosis Glossosis Gonorrhea Halitosis Heart Helicobacter Hemoptysis Hemorrhoid Hepatosis Herpes High Blood Pressure Hypertyraminemia Immunodepression Impetigo Infection Inflammation Insomnia Jaundice Laryngosis Leishmaniasis Leukorrhea Lip Low Blood Pressure Lumbago Lupus Malaria Marasmus Mastosis Menorrhagia Migraine Mucososis Myalgia Myoma Nephrosis Nervousness Neutropenia NIDDM Night Sweats Ophthalmia Otosis Otorrhea Ozoena Pain Pancreatosis Pharyngosis Pneumonia Polymenorrhea Polyp Prolapse Prostatosis Psoriasis Rhinosis Ringworm Salmonella Sciatica Scrofula Seborrhea Shigella Smallpox Sore Sore Throat Sporotrichosis Stomatosis Staphylococcus Streptococcus Syncope Syphilis Tapeworm Tinnitus Tonsilosis Trachoma Trichomoniasis Thrombocytopenia Tuberculosis Typhoid Typhus Ulcer Uterosis UTI Vaginosis VD Wart Water Retention Wound Yeast

General Dosage

0.5–1.2 g root; 0.5–1 g root, or in tea, 3 ×/day; 1 g root, maximum 4.9 g/day; 4–6 g root/day; 150–350 mg root 3 ×/day; 1–2 tbsp fresh root; 1.5–3 g dry root; 2 g dry root:10 ml alcohol/10 ml water; 500 mg dry root/day; 0.5–1 tsp powdered root/cup water; 0.3–1 ml liquid root extract; 2–4 ml root tincture; 2–4 ml root tincture/day; 2–4 ml tincture; 1 dropper tincture 3 ×/day; 15–40 drops fluid extract several ×/day; 1–4 g fluid extract/day; 4–6 ml liquid extract; 50–150 mg hydrastine-chlorate; 1–2 capsules 3 ×/day; 1 StX 2–3 ×/day. 0.5–1.2 g root; 0.5–1 g root, or in tea, 3 ×/day; 1 g root, maximum 4.9 g/day; 4–6 g root/day; 150–350 mg root 3 ×/day; 1–2 tbsp fresh root; 1.5–3 g dry root; 2 g dry root:10 ml alcohol/10 ml water; 500 mg dry root/day; 0.5–1 tsp powdered root/cup water; 0.3–1 ml liquid root extract; 2–4 ml root tincture; 2–4 ml root tincture/day; 2–4 ml tincture; 1 dropper tincture 3 ×/day; 15–40 drops fluid extract several ×/day; 1–4 g fluid extract/day; 4–6 ml liquid extract; 50–150 mg hydrastine-chlorate; 1–2 capsules 3 ×/day; 1 StX 2–3 ×/day.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b. Fresh plant may irritate the mucosa. Not approved. “Goldenseal should not be taken for long periods of time”. The LRNP is a bit stronger, saying large doses of the plant may irritate the mouth and throat, and cause diarrhea, nausea, parasthesia, and vomiting. “CNS stimulation and respiratory failure induced by the plant can be fatal.” In higher doses hydrastine can cause convulsions, exaggerated reflexes, high blood pressure, and death from respiratory failure. No recent reports of toxicity in the literature. May alter intestinal flora. Canadian regulations do not allow it as an ingredient in oral products. Contraindicated in glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase deficiency. Berberine may antagonize heparin’s anticoagulant activity. The PDR last couplet in the PDR general warning may stimulate more sales, “If taken over an extended period, the drug can bring about digestive disorders, mucous membrane irritation, constipation, excitatory states, hallucinations, and occasional deliria”. The potentially poisonous berberine may cause gastric upset. Because of alkaloids with uterine stimulant activity, in vitro, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. Berberine is reportedly mutagenic in yeast cells and Ames test. PH2 assigns the toxicity more to hydrastine than to berberine, perhaps making barberry and oregon grape look like safer alternatives, with the benefit of the MDR-inhibitor methoxyhydnocarpine. “The hydrastine component appears to be the toxic component in goldenseal”. Overdoses may induce bradycardia, central paralysis, and dyspnea. Death from berberine has been reported.

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