Goldenseal for Fighting Bacteria

Goldenseal for Fighting Bacteria

At the beginning of the twentieth century, between the demise of old folk remedies and the emergence of professional medicine, came the hucksters of patent medicines—an odd breed of shady entrepreneurs, self- appointed doctors, and bona fide quacks. One of the most successful was Dr. Roy Pierce, a physician who made a mint hawking Dr. Pierce’s Golden Medical Discovery: The Only Guaranteed Liver, Blood, and Lung Remedy.

Dr. Pierce, who created an entire line of popular patent medicines, never discovered anything beyond the power of mass advertising and the public’s gullibility in believing in a so-called magic elixir. His "discovery" consisted mostly of alcohol and sugars, but it did get its distinctive amber color from goldenseal, a medicinal herb long used by Native Americans.

Bacteria Batterer

The Cherokees used the roots and rhizomes of the plant to treat skin diseases and relieve sore eyes. Today, goldenseal is still used as an external wash for canker sores and skin wounds, but most people take it internally, usually in capsule form, to soothe inflamed mucous membranes, stop or slow down infections, and stimulate digestion, says Jennifer Brett, N.D., a naturopathic doctor at the Wilton Naturopathic Center in Stratford, Connecticut. It is frequently recommended for ulcers in the upper intestine and especially advocated for respiratory infections, she says.

"It seems to be really effective for upper respiratory infections like sore throats and sinus infections," says Dr. Brett. "It has the ability to stimulate your immune system and slow down the rate at which bacteria invade your cells and tissues."

If used early, goldenseal is effective against nearly any kind of infection, from a sore throat to a cut on the hand, says Dr. Brett. Its antibacterial and antiseptic properties can help fight off bacteria. While that doesn’t mean that goldenseal should be used in place of an antibiotic when one is needed, "it can help keep an infection from spreading long enough so that your immune system can take care of it," she says. "If the infection has really set in, though, you may need more help than goldenseal can give you."

Goldenseal can make the symptoms of an infection less bothersome. It’s especially effective in reducing phlegm and drying up secretions from inflamed mucous membranes, the tissues that make up the inner lining of the body, explains Dr. Brett. When you have an irritated sinus or a sore throat from postnasal drip, the herb can bring great relief, Dr. Brett says. "It works best when you can get the goldenseal right on the infection. I tell people to gargle with a tea of goldenseal when they have a sore throat."

Tastes Like Medicine

In olden days, people generally put goldenseal root into water and brewed a tea, but it was a bitter tonic to swallow. Even rinsing out your mouth with goldenseal can be a memorably unpleasant experience. Herbalists classify it as a potent, bitter, astringent herb, and it simply tastes terrible, says Alison Lee, M.D., a pain-management specialist and medical director of Barefoot Doctors, an alternative medicine practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

 Supplement Profile

Goldenseal

Botanical name: Hydrastis canadensis.

May help: Upper respiratory infections, inflamed mucous membranes, diverticulitis, colds and flu, heartburn, diarrhea, canker sores, chronic fatigue syndrome, urinary tract infections, celiac disease, and skin infections; also used for ulcers and as a blood purifier and digestive stimulant.

Origin: United States; was introduced to European settlers by Native Americans.

Cautions and possible side effects: Do not take while pregnant. Do not use if you have high blood pressure or an autoimmune disease such as multiple sclerosis or lupus or if you are allergic to plants in the daisy family such as chamomile and marigold. Do not take for more than a week.

Traditionally, bitter herbs were used as stomach medicines, and goldenseal has a well-deserved reputation for stimulating the digestive system to secrete more bile and salivary and gastric juices, says Dr. Brett.

Whenever you produce more digestive juices, you also produce more digestive enzymes, which aid in digestion and can normalize bowel movements, she says. She often prescribes goldenseal as a cure for diarrhea caused by either a bacterial or viral infection. "It’s also a good treatment for stomach ulcers. Since we now know that most ulcers are caused by bacteria, it makes sense that it would be effective," she adds.

Flush the Toxins

Goldenseal has long been touted as a blood purifier, an herb that normalizes liver function. Some herbalists believe that the blood and liver can become congested with toxins when there’s too much poison in the body for the liver and endocrine system to process, metabolize, and purify, says Dr. Lee. By stimulating the digestive system, a bitter herb like goldenseal can increase the actions of the liver and spleen, pump out more bile from the gallbladder, and, in the process, expel more toxins through sweating and the excretion of waste. "It’s a way to clean out the system. That’s what bitters are said to do," says Dr. Lee.

 Seal Hunting

In comparison with other herbs with similar infection-fighting actions, such as echinacea and astragalus, goldenseal is expensive. Today, it is rare in the wild because of overcollecting. In fact, Dr. Lee cautions against its overuse because the plant is becoming endangered. Herb growers are just beginning to domesticate and cultivate it.