Goldenseal

Goldenseal ( Hydrastis canadensis)

Called The Goldenseal ( Hydrastis canadensis), also gold seal root, Goldenseal, the only species of the genus Hydrastis and the subfamily Hydrastidoideae in the family Ranunculaceae is ( Ranunculaceae ). All plant parts are poisonous.

Features

The hermaphrodite, radial symmetry flower has a diameter of 8 to 18 mm. The perianth is simple. The three deciduous bracts are greenish - white or pink and 3.5 to 7 mm. There are numerous (50 to 75) stamens have a length of 4 to 8 mm with white stamens present, they are the most conspicuous part of the flower. The five to fifteen carpels are free and each containing two ovules. The scar is bilobed.

The red, usually zweisamigen, usually 10 to 15 × 8 to 15 ( often up to 20) mm berries are seated, capitate collecting fruits together, having a size of about 0.6 to 1 mm. The smooth, black seeds are 2.5 to 4.5 mm in size.

Occurrence

The Goldenseal comes in warm to temperate eastern North America in summer green deciduous forests at altitudes up to 1200 meters in front. They often grow on clay soils.

Use

In North America it is regarded as a medicinal plant. The drug is called Hydrastis root - Hydrastis rhizome. It is obtained from the underground parts of the plant rhizome and root.

The drug is monografiert in the European Pharmacopoeia. Their main alkaloids are hydrastine and berberine. The Hydrastiswurzel be attributed hemostatic properties. For berberine, among other antiarrhythmic and antibiotic effects are demonstrated.

Pictures

The stamens are the most conspicuous in bloom.

Collecting fruit.

Documents

• Bruce A. Ford: Hydrastis in the Flora of North America, Volume 3: Online
• Eckhart J. Hunter, Friedrich Ebel, Peter Hanelt, Gerd Müller, K. (ed.): Rothmaler Exkursionsflora of Germany. Volume 5: Herbaceous ornamental and useful plants. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8274-0918-8.