Goldenrod

Description

Averaging about 4 ft (1.2 m) in height, goldenrod is a perennial with clusters of bright yellow flowers. It has been used for centuries in the treatment of kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and a variety of other medical conditions. One legend has it that a 10-year-old boy who received an infusion of goldenrod for several months in the late eighteenth century passed 50 gravel stones larger than a pea. Native Americans used goldenrod to alleviate sore throat, and blue mountain tea made from goldenrod leaves is sometimes used to combat fatigue in the Appalachian Mountains. Goldenrod varieties belong to the plant family Asteraceae. While European goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea) is perhaps the most well known variety, other species of the plant (there are over 100 and counting) appear to have roughly equivalent medicinal properties—in particular, the ability to increase the flow of urine. In Europe, Solidago virgaurea is often used interchangeably with other species of goldenrod such as Solidago serotina and Solidago canadensis in the drug of commerce. Only the aboveground parts of the plant, mainly the flowers and leaves, are considered to have medicinal value.

Goldenrod grows in Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and North America, but most medicinal goldenrod originates in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and other eastern European countries. It thrives in a wide variety of habitats, including hills, woods, meadows, and rocky terrain. Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod does not play a significant role in triggering hay fever reactions. This myth probably developed due to the fact that goldenrod blooms around the same time and in the same places as the ragweed responsible for most seasonal allergies. Studies of goldenrod pollen indicate that it is not a potent allergen for most people. However, it is in some. Goldenrod is also a very potent anti-allergic herb for sufferers of hay fever.

The genus name Solidago is derived from the Latin verb solidare, which can be translated "to make whole." Goldenrod received this appellation due to its reputation through the ages as a wound-healing drug. This also explains

why goldenrod has sometimes been referred to as "woundwort" during its long history as a folk remedy. While not valued much today as a wound healer, goldenrod has been approved by the authoritative German Commission E as a diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic for the treatment of urinary tract disorders. Research suggests that goldenrod can increase the production of urine, which is often helpful in cases of urinary tract infection or kidney stones, without reducing levels of important electrolytes, such as sodium and chloride, the way that some man-made diuretics do. While it is not known exactly how goldenrod produces its therapeutic effects, researchers have focused on several naturally occurring chemicals in the plant. Most experts believe that goldenrod's ability to increase urine production is due to the presence of flavonoids and saponins, which stimulate the kidneys to release fluid. Another chemical in goldenrod, a phenolic glycoside called leiocarposide, may be responsible for goldenrod's anti-inflammatory effects. In one study of Solidago virgaurea involving rodents, researchers from Cairo University found that the anti-inflammatory activity of goldenrod was comparable to that of diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) prescribed for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. The tannins in goldenrod have been associated with astringent properties. The herb also contains a small amount of essential oil.