Goldenseal is an herb that has been used traditionally to help many illnesses. It  works against mucous conditions, so it is indicated whenever there is excess drippage anywhere: nose, throat, gut, genital secretions… You get the picture! Let’s look at the traditional medicinal uses of goldenseal.

Personal Story

Goldenseal was one of the first medicinal herbs my family used. We had an abundance of runny nose mucus to deal with, accompanied by fever and coughs. We were glad to find something natural that helped relieved the cold symptoms we were experiencing. I didn’t understand fully how to use goldenseal and had much to learn, but I was impressed with the support it provided for my family.

Safety Precautions

Goldenseal, Hydrastis Canadensis, is a Class 2b herb. This means it is not to be used during pregnancy. It is not for long-term use. Avoid use if you have high blood pressure. It will sometimes cause irritation if used in tincture form if you have chronic heartburn or diarrhea.

Medicinal Uses for Goldenseal

Traditional uses for goldenseal include the following:

• Anorexia- Goldenseal is a strong herbal bitter that is used to stimulate the appetite through the presence of bitter-tasting ingredients.
• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
• Digestive System- Goldenseal has been used for colitis, constipation, diarrhea, GI infections, hemorrhoids, and intestinal gas, peptic ulcers, and stomach pain and swelling (gastritis).
• Dysmenorrheal, painful cramping during menstrual cycle, can benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties. Vaginal pain and swelling may also be helped.
• Hay fever- goldenseal has antibiotic properties and anti-inflammatory properties that are helpful in allergy responses.
• Fibroids- Goldenseal root is useful in early growth stages of fibroids and boggy tissue that lacks tone with tendency to excessive bleeding and discharge.
• Liver disorders, jaundice
• Respiratory Tract- common cold and other upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, sinusitis, mucosal inflammations, and whooping cough can benefit from goldenseal use.
• Goldenseal is used for urinary conditions, such as urinary tract infections.
• Skin conditions benefit from applying goldenseal to the skin for healing or treating wounds, for rashes, ulcers, itching, cold sores, herpes blisters, eczema, and acne.
• It is also a good herbal microbial rinse to use for sore gums and mouth, and after wisdom teeth extraction.
• Goldenseal is a sometimes applied topically as an eyewash for eye inflammation and eye infections like pink eye.
• Goldenseal can be used in the used for tinnitus (ears ringing), deafness, and earache.

More studies need to be done to substantiate these uses, but traditional medical uses are often validified through folk use.

Goldenseal’s Supportive Properties

Herbal medicines are applied in a slow manner with the whole-body perspective in mind. These are some of its properties.

• Alterative-Has an ability to renew tissues and improve function slowly and effectively, culminating in health
• Anti-inflammatory properties- helps to soothe irritated tissues
• Astringent- an agent that can contract tissues, stopping secretions, and/or controlling bleeding; reduces excess secretions and tones tissues by precipitating excess proteins.
• Emmenagogue– Compounds that induce the onset of menses. Some also use the term to describe herbs that tonify and strengthen the muscle tone, glandular tissue, and blood supply to the uterus.
• Emollient – soothes and softens irritated external tissues
• Hepatic – Relating to the liver; strengthen the liver and promotes bile production

Those are just a few of the properties of goldenseal.

Action

Using herbal medicine confidently comes from learning the properties and traditional uses of the herbs. It is up to us to apply the knowledge we learn.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Warmly,

Joni

P.S. Do you have any experience have using goldenseal?