Botanical Index No. 760

Oregon Grape

mahonia aquifolium

Medicinal Actions

Analysis pending research update.

Primary Conditions Treated

Nephrosis Nervousness Neuralgia Ophthalmia Pain Parasite Periosteosis Phthisis Pityriasis Psoriasis Pulmonosis Rash Rheumatism Rhinosis Scrofula Sinusosis Sore Sore Throat Stomatosis Stone Syphilis Trachoma Tuberculosis Typhoid Ulcer Uterosis UTI Vaginosis VD Yellow Fever Wound Acne Alzheimer’s Ameba Anemia Anorexia Arthrosis Bacteria Bleeding Bronchosis Bronchorrhea Bruise Burn Cachexia Cancer Catarrh Cholecystosis Cirrhosis Cold Congestion Constipation Convulsion Cough Dandruff Dermatosis Diarrhea Dyscrasia Dysentery Dyspepsia Dysuria Eczema Enterosis Erysipelas Fever Fungus Gallstone Gastrosis Gout Gravel Helicobacter Hepatosis Herpes High Blood Pressure Infection Inflammation Insomnia Jaundice Kidney Stone Leukorrhea Leishmaniasis Malaria Myalgia Mycosis

General Dosage

0.5 tsp root bark/cup water 1 ×/day; 2 g root bark; 1–2 ml liquid root extract; 10–20 drops fluid extract/3–4 hours; 0.3–1.5 g fluid extract; 0.6–3.75 g tincture. 0.5 tsp root bark/cup water 1 ×/day; 2 g root bark; 1–2 ml liquid root extract; 10–20 drops fluid extract/3–4 hours; 0.3–1.5 g fluid extract; 0.6–3.75 g tincture.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b. Canada requires bilingual warning against use during pregnancy. “Not allowed as a non-medicinal ingredient in oral use products in Canada”. “Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”. If Barney is right in saying that “goldenseal should not be taken for long periods of time,” I suspect that the same would be true for those herbs containing similar compounds, such as barberry, goldthread, oregon grape, and yellow root. Therefore, I have lowered their safety ratings to one +. “Large doses of berberine can cause fatal poisoning”. White and Mavor preclude use in children under 1 year old, or during pregnancy.

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