Fresh Clips: Benefits of Goldenseal
Why substitute herbs don't work.
By Steven Foster
December/January 2010
 |
Photo by Steven Foster
|
About a decade ago, the price of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) shot up from historic levels of around 13 dollars a pound to more than 100 dollars a pound, prompting a closer look at the sustainability of goldenseal supplies. Subsequently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added goldenseal to its list of restricted items.
RELATED CONTENT
An easy way to multiply your herbs is to cut roots. Herbs that have fleshy roots or that tend to pr...
Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) is one of the most popular herbs on the U.S. market. Although a s...
Get the facts about fibrocystic breast disease....
Dandelion is not just for liver treatment...
Passionflower has been enjoyed for both its sweet taste and its health benefits for over 5,000 year...
After goldenseal was listed, some in the herb community began to suggest potential herbal substitutes for goldenseal. Substitute suggestions included berberine-rich herbs, such as Oregon grape root (Mahonia aquifolium); Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis, also known by its Chinese name, huang lian); and a small plant found in forests in the Northeastern United States, American goldthread (Coptis trifolia, also known as C. groenlandica).
The use of American goldthread was dismissed by many familiar with the plant. Although the plant is fairly common, the root is too difficult to harvest. It is literally a “gold thread,” and any attempt to harvest it from the wild would not produce a significant supply, and was certain to create a new conservation crisis for goldthread.
All of the plants mentioned above contain significant amounts of the alkaloid berberine, which is responsible for the bitter flavor and bright-yellow color of their respective roots. In the end, Chinese goldthread seemed like the best possible choice. However, as supplies of Chinese goldthread dwindled in China, some suggested that goldenseal might be a suitable substitute for it. Instead, scientists have begun to look to growing supplies of both plants.
Grow Goldenseal, Save the Species
A recent study published in the journal Chinese Medicine looked at the comparative chemistry of goldenseal, Chinese goldthread and its North American counterpart, American goldthread. All three species are members of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). As expected, all three plants were shown to contain the alkaloid berberine.
The chemical analysis also quantified the alkaloids copistine, palmatine and hydrastine, all of which may contribute to expected medicinal effects. The results showed that goldenseal contains the most berberine. All three species contain copistine, with American goldthread containing the most. The alkaloid hydrastine was confirmed to be unique to goldenseal and palmatine unique to Chinese goldthread.