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Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)

Goldenseal is a perennial plant that grows in the wild, stretching from Georgia to Canada. It has a yellow root, a hairy stem, five-parted leaves, flowers that are white and green, and a fruit in the middle that looks like a raspberry. Native Americans originally used goldenseal both orally and topically, and it is still used today mostly for immune system support. In fact, Goldenseal was in the top ten best-selling herbs in the United States back in 1997 (1, 2). The active ingredients of goldenseal are thought to be isoquinoline alkaloids, particularly the alkaloid berberine which has an antibacterial effect.

 

Claimed Health Benefits

  • Helps boost the immune system

  • Protects against colon cancer

  • Acts as an antioxidant

  • Helps treat or prevent urinary tract infections

 

Food Sources

None

 

Dose

Goldenseal comes in 3 forms: capsule, tincture, and tea. Take 4-6 g of the powdered root, 1 mL liquid extract, or 2-4 mL tincture per day.

 

Evidence for Health Beliefs

  • Berberine (the alkaloid found in goldenseal) has been shown to inhibit streptococci growth in laboratory studies done in test tubes. It is thought that berberine might inhibit the adhesion of streptococci to the host cell walls, therefore preventing the attachment and growth of the streptococci. If this same mode of action is seen in humans, berberine might be an effective treatment for tonsillitis and infections of the lungs, skin, and urinary tract. However, this effect has not been studied in humans (3).

  • In a study done in Bangladesh, 165 subjects suffering from acute diarrhea resulting from infection due to E. coli and cholera were randomized into three groups. The first group received a single dose of 400 mg berberine sulfate, the second group received a single dose of 1,200 mg berberine sulfate plus tetracycline, and the third group received no treatment. The results showed that those subjects with E. coli infection who received berberine had significantly lower mean stool volumes than the control group. The subjects with cholera experienced no change in symptoms of diarrhea with berberine treatment (4).

  • In a controlled study, several rats were injected with an antigen, which is a foreign substance that initiates an immune response. The rats were then given water with goldenseal extract to drink for 6 weeks. The results showed that the goldenseal acted as an “immunostimulant” stimulating the production of antibodies to fight the infection from day 1 to day 15 when compared to the control group receiving no goldenseal. The stimulating effects seemed to disappear after day 15, however.

 

Cautions

Goldenseal should not be taken by individuals with high blood pressure or those who are pregnant or breast feeding. Data on the safety of goldenseal is limited, so toxic effects are unknown. Doses of berberine (the alkaloid found in goldenseal) ranging from 200-1,200 mg have been shown to be safe.

 

References

1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commmission E Monographs Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin, Tex: American Botanical Council; 1998.

2. Foster S. Botanical Series No. 309—Goldenseal. Austin, Tex: American Botanical Council; 1996.

3. Sun D, Courtney HS, Beachey EH. Berberine sulfate blocks adherence of Streptococcus pyogenes to epithelial cells, fibronectin, and hexadecane. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1988;32:1370-1374.

4. Rabbani GH, Butler T, Knight J, et al. Randomized controlled trial of berberine sulfate therapy for diarrhea due to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae. J Infect Dis. 1987;155:979-984.