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Goldenrod Herb - Uses And Side Effects

The generic name comes from solidare, for the plant is known as a vulnerary, or one that 'makes whole.' It grows from 2 to 3 feet in height, with alternate leaves, of a clear green, and terminal panicles of golden flowers, both ray and disk. It is the only one (of over eighty species) native to Great Britain.

In folklore, herbalists used goldenrod to mask the bitterness of medicines and to promote wound healing. As early as the mid-13th century, they used it to cure bladder stones. In the 1890s, the pharmaceutical company Parke-Davis marketed a fluid extract of goldenrod.

Active ingredients of goldenrod come from the flowers and leaves of Solidago virgaurea, a member of the Asteraceae family. The roots also are valued by herbalists.

Common doses of goldenrod

Goldenrod comes as an extract made with water or alcohol. Some experts recommend the following doses:

• As a decoction, mix 1 to 2 teaspoons (3 to 5 grams) of dried herb with 8 ounces of water. Boil the mixture, let s:and for 2 minutes, and then strain and drink.
• As an infusion, mix 30 grams of the herb with 300 milliliters of water. Boil, cool, and strain as above. Take one tablespoon three or four times daily.

Uses of goldenrod herb

Goldenrod is an aquaretic agent (promotes the loss of water from the body) most frequently used to treat urinary tract inflammation and to prevent the development of kidney stones. Specifically, goldenrod may help to :-

• Bladder stones
• Chronic diarrhea
• Exhaustion and fatigue
• Fluid retention
• General inflammation
• Kidney and intestinal inflammation
• Sore throat
• To induce abortion
• To prevent or treat kidney stones
• Urinary tract inflammation
• Wounds

Side effects of goldenrod

Call your health care practitioner if you experience allergic reactions, such as asthma or hay fever (from extra polens carried by goldenrod). This herb also can cause:

• poisoning, leading to weight loss, leg and abdominal swelling, digestive tract bleeding, and an enlarged spleen (related to parasites, fungus, and rust in the plant)
• vomiting, rapid breathing, and death (from ingesting the dried plant).

Interactions

Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Tell your health care practitioner about any prescription or nonprescription drugs you're taking.

Important paints to remember

• Don't use goldenrod if you're pregnant or suspect you may be pregnant. The herb may cause miscarriage.
• Avoid this herb if you have allergies.
• Remember that gold enrod hasn't been proven effective in treating fluid retention, high blood pressure, or kidney stones.
• Don't delay seeking medical attention for high blood pressure or flank pain.

What the research shows

Scientists haven't documented the clinical effects of goldenrod in people. However, the German E Commission, which oversees herb use in Germany, has endorsed goldenrod when used to eliminate excess fluid, ease inflammation, and relieve muscle spasms.

Other names for goldenrod : -

Other names for goldenrod include Aaron's rod, blue mountain tea, sweet goldenrod, and woundwort.