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Guide to Herbal Dietary Supplements Goldenseal |
Click on any of the herbs below for more information.
The Goldenseal Project Because we're so pleased with organic goldenseal as an alternative to wildcrafted roots and because we feel so keenly the threat to existing populations of wild goldenseal, Frontier has initiated the Goldenseal Project, a ten year project dedicated to saving wild goldenseal. This project has three basic goals. The first is to stimulate the available supply of cultivated goldenseal by working with existing and new growers to develop and share environmentally responsible methods of producing goldenseal rootlets. The second is to provide education about the proper uses of goldenseal, about potential substitutes and about the status of wild populations. We are still learning ourselves, but as we do, we will continue to share information through printed materials and through the Goldenseal Project web site. The third goal is to become a leading activist in support of saving wild goldenseal by devoting 100% of the gross margins from our wildcrafted goldenseal products to research, education and conservation activities to help protect and replenish goldenseal populations in the wild. The Goldenseal Project is a cooperative effort, and we will work with other herbal products manufacturers, with nonprofit organizations like United Plant Savers and with retailers, vendors and concerned individuals who want to preserve and nurture this incredibly valuable plant in the wild. |
Goldenseal: Rich Root RecoveryIntroduction Goldenseal is one of the single most popular herbs in the United States today. Most folks who have tried herbal products have used goldenseal, either alone or in a formula with other herbs, and it is indeed a truly wonderful remedy. When used appropriately, goldenseal supports the body's natural ability to fight infection and acts as a strong general tonic for the mucous membranes and liver (see other proper uses below). It is improperly used by people who believe it masks drug use in drug testing, a belief that has been proven to be wholly inaccurate. This increase in both proper and improper uses of goldenseal has greatly stressed the wild goldenseal populations in many states. In fact, the wild plant has been listed as threatened or endangered in many of the states in which it grows. Several goldenseal wildcrafters we know have told us sad tales of a few dozen wild plants surviving where once there were thousands. In order to highlight this issue of goldenseal overharvesting and to clarify the herb's proper uses as a supplement, Herb Notes is dedicating a total of three issues to this vital plant. The previous issue was devoted to debunking the myth of goldenseal as a drug masker. We cannot emphasize enough that goldenseal does not work to mask drug use. This page is concerned with goldenseal's proper uses, as well as issues of cultivating and processing.
What is Goldenseal? Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) is a small perennial plant native to North America. It is found in the wild in damp meadows and rich, shaded woods from Minnesota to Connecticut and southwards to Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas. It is a member of the buttercup family. The herb is about a foot tall and has two leaves, one larger than the other, on a forked hairy stem. Goldenseal produces a single greenish white flower in April and May. The fruit looks something like a raspberry, which accounts for one of goldenseal's common names - ground raspberry. It has also been called eye balm, yellow eye, jaundice root, Indian plant, orange root and yellow paint root. Although important marker chemicals may be found throughout the plant, it is the knotty yellow rootstock - root and rhizome - which has typically been used in herbal preparations and packaged herbal remedies. The plants are usually harvested when they are three years old. Traditional and Modern Therapeutic Uses Goldenseal was frequently used by Native Americans, including the Cherokee, as an herbal medication and clothing dye (making use of the rhizome's strong yellow color). Colonists gradually began to adopt the herb as well, using it as a digestive bitter and in cold and hot water infusions as mouth and eye washes. Goldenseal has a broad array of applications today. One of its most common uses is to enhance the body's seasonal resistance. Goldenseal acts on mucous membranes by increasing bile secretion, which may soothe these tissues. A goldenseal infusion may be used as a mouthwash or oral cleanser, and the ground herb has been a traditional ingredient in eye washes. Goldenseal may also potentially sustain and restore the skin. Finally, it has tonifying effects on the liver and stomach. An important caution: goldenseal stimulates the uterus and should not be used during pregnancy. Goldenseal's benefits may start to diminish over very long periods of time, so it is generally recommended in specific situations only - for about three weeks at a time or less as necessary. Recommended quantity for internal use: 2 capsules three times daily or 0.7 ml of extract in warm water three times daily. To prepare infusions/teas, use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground goldenseal per cup of boiling water. The Organic Goldenseal Story Goldenseal is a shade-growing plant. At Frontier, we work with small farmers throughout the rich Mississippi basin who have experience with shade-growing herbs, who can give special attention to the unique characteristics of the plant and who have demonstrated their ability to meet Frontier's stringent quality standards. Working with a network of growers ensures that we will always be able to draw the best crop of herbs from our available sources and that we have some measure of insurance from regional and local crop failures. Because growing organic goldenseal from seed is still relatively uncommon, Frontier currently operates several beds to germinate seeds and grow goldenseal on our own farm. As a goldenseal grower ourselves, and as the partner of several other small, specialized farms, we are dedicated to sharing information and best practices to constantly improve the organic cultivated goldenseal we produce. The Quality of Organic Goldenseal At Frontier, we've always prided ourselves on the caliber of our wildcrafted goldenseal products. Today, we are immensely pleased with the quality of the organic goldenseal we have been able to obtain in recent seasons, both in terms of its sensory characteristics (we continue to think it's important to use herbs that are clean and look, smell and taste the way they're supposed to) and in terms of the active constituent levels tested through High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Several alkaloids naturally occur in goldenseal, although the ones that are currently recognized as having the most important therapeutic benefits are the constituents berberine and hydrastine. Though there may be some inconsistency of testing methods, we've identified levels of these key constituents in our organic goldenseal products which place them among the best available today, including organic, non-organic and wildcrafted goldenseal. This excellent quality results from the attention that we and our grower partners devote to the careful growing, handling and processing of goldenseal. We harvest when the roots are at their maximum potency, thoroughly clean them, gently air dry them and grind them at sub-zero temperatures to reduce the effects of heat in grinding. In creating liquid extracts, we use an extraction procedure specifically suited to the particular characteristics of goldenseal. This care throughout the process ensures that we maintain as much of the potency of the high quality herbs as possible. At Frontier, we are confident in producing products which are better and better each year as our knowledge base of growing and processing broadens from its solid start.
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