Goldenseal Leaves 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Goldenseal Leaves – 100 g ($36.99), 50 g ($20.99), 25 g ($12.99)

Benefits:
Goldenseal is an immensely popular herb sold as an immune booster and antibiotic to be taken at the onset of a cold. However, goldenseal is not an effective systemic antibiotic, because the blood levels of berberine produced by the use of oral goldenseal are far too low to be effective. But the herb does exert an antibiotic effect when used topically and has a long history of being used for infections of the skin. It also may be beneficial in treating sore throats and diseases of the digestive tract because it makes direct contact with the affected areas when used for those problems. Homeopathic uses include the treatment of irregular menstruation, digestive problems, and bronchitis.

The best known of the herb’s active constituents is berberine, which possesses strong activity against a wide variety of bacteria and fungi. It also seems to have a soothing effect on inflamed mucous membranes. Goldenseal has been shown to reduce the severity of diarrhea and may help patients who receive an organ transplant to use less of the toxic anti-rejection drug.

Cancer. Goldenseal can help increase white blood cells, which become dangerously depressed during chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In one study, 50 percent of the participants had increased white blood cells with goldenseal. Berberine, a component of goldenseal, has strong antitumor activity. In brain cancer studies conducted on cell lines and on rats, goldenseal has been shown to kill cancer cells. In fact, goldenseal was as effective as the usual chemotherapeutic drug. These were not studies done on humans, however.

Heartburn. Goldenseal, like coptis, is a bitter herb that is useful in treating heartburn associated with emotional tension.

Heart disease. In one study, berberine from goldenseal lowered cholesterol levels by 29 percent, low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol by 25 percent, and triglycerides by 35 percent in people with high levels of these. Participants took 500 milligrams twice daily for three months. The goldenseal appeared to work in a different way from statin medications, suggesting that the two could be used together to reduce heart disease risk.

Periodontal disease. Goldenseal destroys the bacteria that cause periodontal disease, whether taken in capsule or tablet form or swished around in the mouth in the form of alcohol-free extract. For quick relief of inflamed gums, the extract can be placed on a piece of gauze or pure cotton and placed on the affected area, and packed up tightly between the lips and the gum.

Recommended Use
Goldenseal can be used in capsule, ointment, powder, tablet, and tincture forms. It may also be used as a compress. A daily dose is 250 to 500 milligrams of a standardized extract (5 percent hydrastine) three times a day. Goldenseal should be used for a limited amount of time and if symptoms of gastrointestinal distress occur, you should stop taking the herb. Overuse of the herb can create digestive disorders, mucous membrane irritation, constipation, hallucinations, and occasionally deliria. Goldenseal reportedly limits the effectiveness of the anticoagulants heparin and warfarin (Coumadin). You should not take goldenseal if you use these medications. Nor should you take it if you are pregnant or nursing. It also should not be used as a douche.

There is some evidence that the berberine in goldenseal can interfere with drugs that work via the cytochrome P450 3A4–metabolzing system and can make some barbiturates more powerful. Some studies have shown that it decreases the absorption of B vitamins. It may lower blood sugars, so it should be used with caution by people with diabetes who have not used this herb before. If you have heart disease you should not take goldenseal. The tannins in goldenseal tinctures may cause stomach irritation, so you should avoid taking the herb in tincture form if you have diarrhea or chronic heartburn. People with Raynaud’s disease who use relatively high dosages of goldenseal may find that it aggravates numbness and tingling, although this effect is minor and temporary.

Botanical Name: Hydrastis canadensis
Also, known as: Eyebalm, Golden seal, Wild curcuma, Yellow puccoon, Goldenseal, Gorzknik kanadyjski, Ground raspberry, Hydraste, Hydrastis, Idraste, Indian dye, Indian paint, Indian turmeric, Sceau d’or, warnera, Yellow root, Orange Root
Habitat: North America
Origin: USA
Harvested: Cultivated
Parts Used: Leaves

General Information:
Goldenseal is a North American woodland plant, but it is cultivated elsewhere as well. Growing to a height of one foot (thirty centimeters), goldenseal has a thick yellow root and a single erect stem. The stem supports large overlapping three-lobed leaves and a flower that produces a single red inedible fruit. The roots, used in herbal medicine, are dug from three-year-old plants and dried in the open air before processing.

Goldenseal herb is native to the moist woods and damp meadows of eastern North America. The odor of the plant is distinct, but the root is extremely bitter in taste. In India, the plant is used to pain their clothing when it’s fresh and juicy. The plant could grow up to 10-20 inches tall with five or six lobed, green leaves. During the summertime, the leaf may become 5 to 10 inches broad. The May and June flower is a solitary one, small, white, or rose-colored, appearing in early spring proceeded by a crimson head or small berries resembling raspberry, and consists of many two-seeded drupes. The wild plant is scarce today as pharmaceutical industries consumed most of them. Goldenseal is not a commonly available herb and that is why it is getting expensive day by day.

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. So you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.