Hydrastis Can

Goldenseal, a woodland plant with a bright yellow root, traditionally used in homoeopathy for thick yellow catarrh, weak digestion and constipation.

Goldenseal is a small perennial of the buttercup family from the rich woods of eastern North America. It has a hairy stem with two deeply lobed leaves, a single greenish-white flower and a red, raspberry-like fruit. Its knotted root is bright yellow inside and was used by Native Americans as a dye and medicine. Wild plants are now protected by trade controls.

Homoeopaths traditionally associate it with thick, yellow, stringy mucus: catarrh dripping down the back of the throat, blocked sinuses and old bronchial coughs. It is also linked with weak digestion, a sluggish liver and stubborn constipation, especially in tired older people.

• Thick yellow catarrh
• Sinus congestion
• Weak digestion
• Sluggish liver
• Constipation