Hydrastis canadensis
Goldenseal, orangeroot, yellow puccoon. · Plant · Ranunculaceae
People who benefit from Hydrastis tend to be weary, exhausted, thin, and elderly, often with degenerative conditions. The classic symptom picture for this remedy is of problems of the mucous membranes. It is associated with catarrh, sinusitis, a sore throat, and an abnormal taste in the mouth. There may be copious, thick, yellowish, stringy mucus affecting the mucous membranes of the respiratory system. The remedy is also used for stomach problems, possibly occurring in conjunction with the classic problems of the mucous membranes. Characteristic symptoms include poor digestion, a sensation of emptiness in the stomach that remains even after eating, and constipation with no urge to pass stools.
The remedy is often used for people susceptible to cancerous and precancerous states, notably those affecting the liver, colon, or breast. Hydrastis has an especially strong affinity with liver cancer, and may be taken to reduce the need for narcotics and analgesics.
Key symptoms
- Thick, yellowish, ropy, tenacious mucous secretion from all mucous membranes
- Catarrh of any mucous surface with characteristic rope-like discharge
- Thick tenacious secretion from posterior nares dropping into throat
- Weak muscular power, poor digestion, obstinate constipation
- Marked action on liver; cachexia with great debility
- Cancer and cancerous states before ulceration; emaciation and prostration
- Depressed; sure of death and desires it
- Goitre of puberty and pregnancy
Worse (aggravation)
Better (amelioration)
Golden Seal (HYDRASTIS)
Acts especially on mucous membranes, relaxing them and producing a thick, yellowish, ropy secretion. The catarrh may be anywhere,-throat, stomach, uterus, urethra,-it is always characterized by this peculiar mucous discharge. Hydrastis is especially active in old, easily-tired people, cachectic individuals, with great debility. Cerebral effects prominent, feels his wits sharpened, head cleared, facile expression. Weak muscular power, poor digestion and obstinate constipation. Lumbago. Emaciation and prostration. Its action on the liver is marked. Cancer and cancerous state, before ulceration, when pain is principal symptom. Goitre of puberty and pregnancy. Small-pox internally and locally. The power of Hydrastis over smallpox seen in modifying the disease, abolishing its distressing symptoms, shortening its course, lessening its danger and greatly mitigating its consequences (J. J. Garth Wilkinson).
Mind
Depressed; sure of death, and desires it.
Head
Dull, pressing frontal pain, especially connected with constipation. Myalgic pain in scalp and muscles of neck (Cimicif). Eczema on forehead along line of hair. Sinusitis, after coryza.
Ears
Roaring. Muco-purulent discharge. Deafness. Estachian catarrh, with high-pitched voice.
Nose
Thick, tenacious secretion from posterior nares to throat. Watery, excoriating discharge. Ozæna, with ulceration of septum. Tends to blow nose all the time.
Mouth
Peppery taste. Tongue white, swollen, large, flabby, slimy; shows imprint of teeth (Merc); as if scalded; stomatitis. Ulceration of tongue, fissures toward the edges.
Throat
Follicular pharyngitis. Raw, smarting, excoriating sensation. Hawking of yellow, tenacious mucus (Kali bich). Child is aroused suddenly from sleep by this tenacious post-nasal dropping. Goitre of puberty and pregnancy.
Stomach
Sore feeling in stomach more or less constant. Weak digestion. Bitter taste. Pain as from a hard-cornered substance. Gone feeling. Pulsation in epigastrium. Cannot eat bread or vegetables. Atonic dyspepsia. Ulcers and cancer. Gastritis.
Abdomen
Gastro-duodenal catarrh. Liver torpid, tender. Jaundice. Gallstones. Dull dragging in right groin with cutting sensation into right testicle.
Back
Dull, heavy, dragging pain and stiffness, particularly across lumbar region, must use arms in raising himself from seat.
Rectum
Prolapsed; anus fissured. Constipation, with sinking feeling in stomach, and dull headache. During stool, smarting pain in rectum. After stool, long-lasting pain (Nit ac). Hæmorrhoids; even a light flow exhausts. Contraction and spasm.
Urine
Gleety discharge. Urine smells decomposed.
Male
Gonorrhœa, second stage; discharge thick and yellow.
Female
Erosion and excoriation of cervix. Leucorrhœa, worse after menses (Bov; Calc c); acrid and corroding, shreddy, tenacious. Menorrhagia. Pruritus vulvæ, with profuse leucorrhœa (Calc c; Kreos; Sep). Sexual excitement. Tumor of breast; nipple retracted.
Respiratory
Chest raw, sore, burning. Dry, harsh cough. Bronchial catarrh, later stages. Bronchitis in old, exhausted persons, with thick, yellow, tenacious expectoration. Frequent fainty spells, with cold sweat all over. Feels suffocating when lying on left side. Pain from chest to left shoulder.
Skin
Eruption like variola. Lupus; ulcers, cancerous formations. General tendency to profuse perspiration and unhealthy skin (Hepar).
Relationship
Antidote: Sulph.
Useful after too much Chlorate of Potash for sore throat.
Compare: Xanthorrhiza apifolia; Kali bich; Conium; Ars iod; Phytol; Galium (cancer-nodulated tumor of the tongue); Asterias; Stann; Puls. Also Manzanita (diarrhœa, gonorrhœa, gleet, leucorrhœa, catarrhal conditions). Hydrastinum muriaticum-Muriate of Hydrastia (Locally, in aphthous sore mouth, ulcers, ulcerated sore throat, ozæna, etc. Internally, third dec trit. Is a uterine hæmostatic and vasoconstrictor; metrorrhagia, especially from fibroid tumors; hæmorrhages; in dilatation of the stomach, and chronic digestive disorders). Hydrastin sulph 1x (hæmorrhage of bowels in typhoid). Marrubium-Hoarhound--(a stimulant to mucous membranes, especially laryngeal and bronchial; chronic bronchitis, dyspepsia, and hepatic disorders; colds and coughs).
Dose
Tincture, to thirtieth attenuation. Locally colorless. Hydrastis, mother tincture, or fluid extract.
Hydrastis is a slow, deep acting remedy, required in many trophic disturbances. where there is emaciation, catarrhal conditions and ulceration, even malignant ulceration. Defective assimilation.
When it is noticed that the stomach is the center of most of the symptom complex. The desires and aversions often give the key to a very complex totality of symptoms. In this remedy the sinking empty hunger with loathing of food is striking, strange, rare, and therefore Peculiar. It is characteristic because it is a general of the remedy, and is predicated of the patient. Great weakness prevails at all times.
Catarrhal symptoms with thick, viscid, ropy, yellow mucus, sometimes white, from any mucous membrane, with or without ulceration. Deep eating spreading ulcers upon the skin or mucous membrane, with thick, viscid, yellow pus. Induration in glands, in base of ulcers. False granulations that bleed much and easily, on the slightest touch.
Hydrastis canadensis. Golden Seal. Orange-root. Yellow Puccoon. N. O. Ranunculaceæ. Tincture of the fresh root.
Clinical
Alcoholism. Asthma. Cancer. Catarrh. Chancroids. Constipation. Corns. Dyspepsia. Eczema impetiginoides. Ears, affections of. Faintness. Fistula. Gastric catarrh. Gonorrhœa. Hæmorrhoids. Jaundice. Leucorrhœa. Lip, cancer of. Liver, affections of. Lumbago. Lupus. Menorrhagia. Metrorrhagia. Mouth, sore. Nails, affections of. Nipples, sore. Noises in the head. Nursing-women, sore mouth of. Ozæna. Placenta, adherent. Post-nasal catarrh. Rectum, affections of. Sciatica. Seborrhœa. Stomach, affections of. Syphilis. Taste, disordered. Throat, deafness. Throat, sore. Tongue, affections of. Typhus. Ulcers. Uterus, affections of.
Mouth and Throat
Stomatitis after Mercury or Potash; nursing women or weakly children; peppery taste; tongue as if burned or raw.
Stomach
Weak, gone, faint feeling in stomach.
Anus and Stool
Lumpy stool covered with mucus, after stool pain in the rectum.
Urinary Organs
Catarrh of the bladder, with thick, ropy mucous sediment in urine.
Male Sexual Organs
Gonorrhoea, second stage, thick yellow discharge.
Female Sexual Organs
Leucorrhoea, tenacious, viscid, thick, yellow, sometimes hangs from the os in long strings.
Generalities
Mucous membranes; secretions increased, tenacious, ropy, erosions.
-
In nasal catarrh, secretions more from posterior nares; thick, tenacious, air feels cold in the nose.
-
Stomatitis in nursing women or weakly children, especially after mercurius or chlorate of potash.
-
Faintness at stomach, sinking, gone feeling.
-
Gonorrhoea, second stage, thick, yellow discharge.
-
Leucorrhoea, tenacious, ropy, thick, yellow.
-
All mucous secretions tenacious, thick, yellow, erosions of mucous surfaces.
Phatak's chapter on Hydrastis canadensis is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
