Golden
Seal
(Hydrastis canadensis)
Yellow root, eye balm, ground raspberry, tumeric
root, Indian paint
Description:
A small perennial, with a thick knotty, bright yellow rootstock
that sends up a hairy stem, 1 foot high. Two palmately, 5-lobed,
serrate leaves grow near the top with one solitary radical leaf
on a long foot stalk about 9 inches across. The stem is topped
by a small, solitary, flower with greenish-white sepals that
fall away when the flower opens. The fruit resembles a
raspberry, and consists of fused, 2- seeded drupes. It grows
in the shady woods of eastern U.S. and is scarce today. Now
cultivated for its medicinal purposes throughout the U.S.
Medicinal:
It is a antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, laxative, and tonic.
The prepared root is used for mouth and skin disorders, stomach
ailments, nausea, and in combination with capsicum as a remedy
for chronic alcoholism. It is a strong tonic for the mucus membranes.
It helps in liver problems, uterus and venous circulation, a
mouth wash, eye wash, vaginal douche and for external skin diseases.
It can also relieve stomach ailments, nausea during pregnancy
and for a laxative. Steep 1 teaspoon of the powdered root to
2 cups boiling water, let stand till cool. Take 1-2 teaspoons,
3-6 times a day.
