Goldenseal : Organic

Goldenseal is native to eastern North America and is cultivated in Oregon and Washington.  Due to extensive wild harvesting, the plant is considered seriously threatened in its natural habitat. The dried root and rhizome are the parts most commonly used in herbal medicine.

Native Americans used goldenseal for irritations and inflammation in the mucous membranes of the respiratory, digestive, and urinary tracts.  It was commonly used topically for skin and eye conditions.  Historically, it was also used as a mouthwash for canker sores. Because of its antimicrobial properties, Goldenseal has a long history of traditional use for conditions such as diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infections, and certain vaginal health concerns. Goldenseal is often recommended by herbalists in combination with echinacea for colds and flu.

Goldenseal was also considered a valuable remedy for stomach and intestinal problems of all kinds by early-20th-century Eclectic physicians.

Little research has been done on whole goldenseal root or rhizome, but many studies have evaluated the properties of its two primary alkaloids, berberine and hydrastine. Berberine, the more extensively researched of the two, accounts for 0.5-6.0% of the alkaloids present in goldenseal root and rhizome. However, the effect of goldenseal in the gastrointestinal tract is most likely localized as its alkaloids (particularly berberine) are poorly absorbed into the bloodstream.