We have received questions about what the goldenseal plant is used for. Among its benefits is strengthening the immune system, vaginitis, irritated eyes and more. Let’s first look at its botanical aspect.
Goldenseal, also called Canadian turmeric, is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Ranunculaceae family. Native to southeastern Canada and northeastern United States.
It breeds in forests, and grows from long rhizomes.
American Indians of the Cherokee, Catawba, Iroquois, and Kickapoo tribes used goldenseal root as a medicine and dye.
The Cherokees used it as a remedy to treat cancer (according to Professor Benjamin Smith Barton in the first edition of his Collections for an Essay Towards a Materia Medica of the United States, from 1798), «general weakness» and «dyspepsia». .Gold seal what is it for
The Iroquois made a decoction of the root and used it to combat the whooping coughdiarrhoea, liver disorders, fever, heartburn and flatulence, as well as an emetic for disorders caused by excess bile. Mixed with bear fat, goldenseal root was applied as an insect repellent. It was also used as a diuretic, an appetite stimulant, and to wash sore or inflamed eyes, as well as to treat skin diseases, ulcers, arrow wounds, and gonorrhea.
Early settlers adopted these uses and introduced goldenseal root into most 19th century pharmacopoeias. The «eclectics» adopted it to treat gonorrhea and urinary tract infections.
In 1919, the work The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, by Finley Ellingwood, cited it as an effective remedy for the treatment of a multitude of diseases, disorders and ailments, from constipation to chronic brain congestion and cirrhosis.
healing properties
Goldenseal root is restorative, anti-catarrhal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, bitter tonic, laxative and muscle stimulant. It is used to treat colds and other respiratory tract infections.
As an astringent it acts against microbial infections and inflammation (bacterial and fungal), gastrointestinal tract infections such as ai colitis and duodenal ulcers and loss of appetite; also as a topical application for the bladder and rectum.
The golden seal is applied to wounds and Cold sores and is used as a mouthwash to combat gum, mouth and throat pain. It is also used to treat skin and eye infections, infectious diarrhea and vaginitis, and to stimulate the central nervous system. Being a bitter plant, it stimulates the appetite and promotes digestion
folk remedies
Goldseal remedy for irritated eyes: Boil 1 handful of goldenseal roots, previously washed, in half a liter of water for 10 minutes. Let cool and strain. Perform several eye washes throughout the day.
Goldenseal remedy for celiac disease Boil 1 tablespoon of goldenseal (the root previously washed and chopped) in a cup of water for 5 minutes. Cover and let cool. Drink 1 cup of this decoction every day for 2 weeks and then rest 2 weeks for a period of 2 months. This remedy has virtues anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.
Golden seal remedy to strengthen the immune system: Pour 1 tablespoon of goldenseal into a cup of boiling water. Cover and let cool. Take 1 cup a day of this preparation for 1 month (3 times a year).
Goldenseal remedy for vaginitis: Boil 1/2 cup of washed and chopped goldenseal root in 2 liters of water for 10 minutes. After that time, cover and let cool. Strain and make a sitz bath with this preparation.
Gold Seal Remedy for pelvic inflammatory disease: Boil a cup of water for 5 minutes and, after that time, remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon of golden seal. Drink a cup daily.Gold seal what is it for
Goldenseal remedy for staphylococcal infection: Make a paste with powdered goldenseal root and a little water and apply directly to the area where the staph infection. Cover with a clean bandage and leave on overnight.
Gold seal remedy for human papilloma virus (HPV): Boil 1 cup of water and when it reaches the boiling point, add 1 tablespoon of goldenseal leaves. Let cool, filter and drink 1 cup a day.
Gold Seal Remedy for trichomoniasis: Boil, for 10 minutes, a handful of echinacea and another of golden seal in 2 liters of water. Take 2 vaginal showers every day with this previously strained preparation. This remedy helps to alleviate the symptoms of trichomoniasis.
Precautions
Goldenseal is considered safe for short-term use in adults at recommended doses. Rare side effects may include nausea and vomiting.
It should not be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, as it can be passed through breast milk and cause life-threatening liver problems in infants and children with jaundice.
People with high blood pressure or other cardiovascular diseases and those who are taking certain antibiotics should not use this plant. If this is the case, consult, first, with a health professional.
Learn more goldenseal contraindications
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cultivation method
The best conditions for growing goldenseal are said to be well-drained, humus-rich soil in a partly shaded situation. The roots are broken into small pieces and then planted about 8 inches apart in rows. The seeds are not considered reliable. Fresh plantings are made in the fall, after the plants have died out, or earlier, if raised to obtain a supply of marketable rhizomes. The strong fibrous roots sometimes develop shoots that can be used as stock.
Plantations thus formed take two to three years to grow to marketable size, the rhizomes deteriorating in their fourth year.
The fresh rhizome is juicy and loses much of its weight when dried. When fresh, it has a distinctly narcotic odor, which is largely lost with age, when it acquires a peculiar sweetish odor, somewhat resembling licorice root. Gold seal what is it for
The rhizome is irregular and tortuous, heavily knotted, with a thin yellow-brown rind and bright yellow interior, 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long and 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
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