Goldenseal

Hydrastis canadensis

Chad Bradshaw

General Description

• Cultivated in North America’s wooded areas (New York, Missouri, Oregon, Washington, Western Ontario)
• Knotty, yellow, small perennial plant
• Harvested for rhizome and root
• Early spring, 2 round leaves ending in a single green-white flower

Chemical Composition

• Active component: berberine (alkaloid) 0.5 - 6.0%
• Other components:
  • berberastine (2-3%)
  • canadine
  • hydrastine (1.5-4%)
  • meconin
  • chlorogenic acid
  • phytosterins and resins

History and Folk Use

• Used by Native Americans
  • Clothes dye
  • Inflammatory mucous membranes
  • Ocular disorders
  • Ulcers
  • Arrow wounds
  • War paint for face

Pharmacology of Berberine

• Antibiotic
• Immunostimulatory
• Anticonvulsant
• Sedative

Antibiotic Activity

Active against:

• Staphylococcus species
• Streptomyces species
• Chlamydia species
• Corynebacterium diptheria
• E. coli
• Salmonella typhi
• Vibrio Cholerae
• Diplococcus pneumoniae
• Pseudomonas species

Efficacy as an Antimicrobial

• Inhibition of Candida and pathogenic bacteria prevents the overgrowth of yeast (a common side effect of antibiotic use)
• Inhibits adhesion of streptococci to host cells:
• Causes streptococci to lose lipoteichoic acid, which is responsible for adherence of the bacteria to host tissues
• Prevents adhesion of fibronectin to streptococci

Other Actions

• Immunostimulatory
  • Increases blood supply to spleen, which may promote optimal splenic activity
  • Activates macrophages
  • Fever-reducing
  • Appears to do this by enhancing immune system’s ability to handle pyrogenic organisms
  • Rat model: 3 x antipyretic effect of aspirin

• Anticancer Effects*
  • Directly kills tumor cells
  • Indirectly kills tumor cells by stimulating white blood cells
  • In vitro studies showed average cell kill rate of 91%, over twice that of BCNU (standard chemo agent for brain tumors)
  • Rat studies showed 81% kill rate with 10 mg/kg berberine
  • Combination with BCNU may be very effective

Clinical Applications

• Infectious diarrhea*
• Trachoma (ocular infection found in underdeveloped countries)*
• Liver Disorders*
  • Stimulates secretion of bile and bilirubin
• Cancer*

Daily Dosage:

Based on Berberine content

• Dried root/Infusion: 2-4 grams
• Tincture (1:5): 6-12 mL
• Fluid Extract (1:1): 2-4 mL
• Solid extract (4:1 or 8-12% alkaloid content): 250 - 500 mg
• Mouthwash: 2 tsp (6g) herb + 1 cup water; use TID-QID
• Externally: 1 tsp root + 1 pint water; use as lotion

Toxicity

• Generally nontoxic at recommended dosages
• Not recommended for use during pregnancy because it stimulates the uterus and may produce abortion or premature labor
• Eating fresh plant may produce ulcerations and inflammation of mucosal tissue
• Long-term use may weaken colonic bacterial flora

Clinical Trials:

Clinical Trial 1:  Clinical Trial of Berberine in Acute Watery Diarrhea

Methods:

• Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind
• Compared berberine(100mg qid), tetracycline (500 mg qid), and both agents concurrently.
• Patients with cholera and treated with tetracycline or tetracycline + berberine had less volume and frequency of diarrheal stools, shorter duration or diarrhea, and smaller required volumes of fluid for rehydration.

Results:

• Cholera patients treated with berberine alone excreted more Vibria Cholerae after 24 hours of treatment than patients treated with tetracycline with or w/o berberine
• Neither agent had any benefit over placebo in non-cholera diarrhea.
• Researchers postulate that the dose of Berberine may have been subtherapeutic.

Clinical Trial 2:  Clinical Trial of High-Dose Berberine and Tetracycline in Cholera

• Follow-up to previous trial, researched and reported by the same authors.
• Compared effectiveness of tetracycline with and without berberine
• Dosage increased to 200 mg berberine (100 mg in previous trial)
• Found no significant difference in stool volume, # of motions, or duration of diarrhea..

Clinical Trial 3:  Randomized Controlled Trial of Berberine Sulfate Therapy for Diarrhea Due to Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Vibrio Cholerae

• Patients infected with E. Coli received a single dose of either 400 mg berberine or 100 mL of water (control).
  • Mean stool volumes in treated patients were significantly less than those of the controls.
  • Diarrhea stopped in 42% of treated patients.

• Patients infected with cholera received either:
  • 400 mg berberine single dose
  • 1,200 mg berberine (400 mg q 8 h x 24 h) + 1 g tetracycline po single dose
  • 1 g tetracycline alone
  • Placebo

• Patients who received a single 400 mg dose of berberine had a mean 8-hour stool volume decrease from 2.79 L to 2.22 L.
• Patients treated with berberine 400 mg + tetracycline 1 g did not show a significant reduction in stool output compared to patients treated with tetracycline alone.
• Suggests that berberine antagonizes tetracycline.
• Results also suggest that berberine is effective and safe for diarrhea caused by E. Coli but is only slightly effective against cholera.

Clinical Trial 4:  Effect of Berberine Chloride Eye Drops on Clinically Positive Trachoma Patients

• Trachoma: contagious disease of the conjunctive of the eye caused by Chlamydia Trachomatis; characterized by inflammation, hypertrophy, and granules of adenoid tissue.
• Major cause of blindness and impaired vision in underdeveloped countries.

Methods:

• Patients with active trachoma were given either:
  • 0.2 % berberine eye drops
  • Berberine (0.2%) + sulphacetamide (20%) drops
  • Sulphacetamide (20%) eye drops

• Two drops TID in each eye for 3 weeks.
• Patients evaluated after 8 weeks.

Results:

• Patients treated with only berberine showed negative conjunctival scrapings, but infection disappeared gradually.
• Patients treated with berberine + sulphacetamide had best clinical improvement, but scrapings returned to positive, and all patients relapsed.
• Patients treated with only sulphacetamide also had positive scrapings, and some patients relapsed.

Conclusions:

• Suggests that berberine may be curative for trachoma, probably by stimulating host defenses.
• Study included no placebo group, and sample sizes were small.

Conclusions from Clinical Trials

• Berberine may be useful in GI infections caused by E. Coli, however it does not appear to be useful against Vibrio cholerae (cholera).
• Berberine may be useful in the treatment of trachoma.

References

Pizzorno & Murray.  Hydrastis Canadensis, Berberis Vulgaris, Berberis Aquifolium, and other Berberine-Containing Plants.  In:  Textbook of Natural Medicine.  Vol. 1.  Washington:  John Bastyr College Publications, 1985.

Goldenseal.  In:  Herbs of Choice:  The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals.  New York:  Pharmaceutical Products Press, 1994.

Goldenseal.  In:  Weiner's Herbals:  The Guide to Herb Medicine, California: Quantum Books, 1990.

Goldenseal.  In:  Alternative Medicine:  The Definitive Guide.  Puyallup, WA:  Future Medicine Pub., 1994.

Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis).  The Alternative Health & Medicine Encylopedia.  New York:  Gale Research, Inc., 1995.

Babbar OP, Chhatwal VK, Ray IB, Mehra MK.  Effect of berberine chloride eye drops on clinically positive trachoma patients.  Indian J Med Res 1982 December; 76:pp 83-88.

Khin-Maung U, Myo-Khin, Nyunt-Nyunt-Wai, Aye Kyaw, Tin-U.  Clinical trial of berberine in acute watery diarrhoea.  BMJ 1985 Dec 7; 291: pp. 1601-1604.

Khin-Maung U, Myo-Khin, Nyunt-Nyunt-Wai, Aye Kyaw, Tin-U.  Clinical Trial of High-Dose Berberine and Tetracycline in Cholera.  J Diarrhoeal Dis Res 1987 Sep 5(3):184-187.

Mills, Simon Y.  The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.  New York: MJF Books, 1988.

Murray, Michael T.  The Healing Power of Herbs.  California:  Prima Publishing, 1995.

Murray, Michael T. et al.  Naturopathy.  Cothell, WA:  John Bastyr College Publications, 1985.

Ritchason, Jack.  The Little Herb Encyclopedia, 3rd Ed.  Utah:  Woodland Health Books, 1995.

Sollmann, T.  A Manual of Pharmacology, 7th Ed.  1948.

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