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| very safe, Siberian ginseng seems to work best if used as a tonic over the course of a three-month period, but it is safe to take for nine months or longer. |
| Goldenseal |
| (Hydrastis canadensis) |
| Part used: Root |
| Actions: Antibiotic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immune stimulant, bitter tonic, astringent, antiseptic, laxative, diuretic, alterative, hemostatic |
| Indications: Like ginseng, goldenseal's soaring popularity has caused its near extinction. Even rarer than ginseng, with over 150,000 pounds of it consumed in the United States alone, goldenseal should never be harvested from the wild, and only cultivated goldenseal should be purchased. Because of its scarcity (goldenseal was considered rare as far back as 75 years ago), goldenseal has often been adulterated with turmeric and even bloodroot, another endangered plant. |
| This powerful, antimicrobial herb is now sadly misused and overused. It has a reputation among most Americans today as an "herbal antibiotic" in combination with echinacea for colds and flu. However, recent clinical research shows that one of goldenseal's active constituents, berberine, is poorly absorbed in the small intestine, indicating that even 26 capsules of goldenseal powder would not provide enough berberine to act as a systemic antibiotic. In fact, taking goldenseal at the first signs of a cold can have the negative effects of injuring the stomach and intestinal function, inhibiting the body's natural defenses and weakening the immune response, thereby prolonging the illness. |
| The tragedy is that the majority of people who buy goldenseal in the United States are both wasting their money and further endangering this nearly extinct plant. In his excellent article on goldenseal in the winter 19961997 issue of Medical Herbalism, Editor Paul Berg- |
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