Goldenrod Tincture: A Comprehensive Guide

Goldenrod tincture, derived from the Solidago species, is a versatile herbal remedy known for its applications in addressing sinus congestion, allergies, colds, and flu. This guide provides a detailed overview of its benefits, uses, and safety considerations for your wellness website.

Botanical and Extraction Details

• Botanical Name: Solidago spp.
• Family: Asteraceae
• Extraction Method: Alcohol tincture
• Plant Part Used: Flowers and leaves
• Common Names: Aaron's Rod, Canadian Goldenrod, European Goldenrod

Properties

Goldenrod tincture is renowned for its therapeutic properties, including:

• Decongestant: Helps alleviate upper respiratory congestion from allergies, sinusitis, flu, and the common cold.
• Anti-inflammatory: Reduces inflammation in the body.
• Antimicrobial: May help fight infections.
• Diuretic: Increases urine flow, potentially aiding in urinary tract health.
• Antioxidant: Rich in antioxidants that protect cells from damage.

Uses and Applications

• Sinus Congestion: Goldenrod is a premier herb for drying up clogged sinuses and is effective in treating sinus congestion caused by allergies, colds, and flu.
• Allergies: Used to relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies, such as runny nose and watery eyes.
• Respiratory Health: Supports respiratory health by breaking down mucus and easing breathing.
• Urinary Health: Traditionally used to support urinary tract health and increase urine flow.

Goldenrod Tincture Formula

This tincture is often combined with other herbs for enhanced effectiveness:

• Ingredients:
  • 2 parts goldenrod flower and leaves tincture
  • 2 parts elderflower tincture (Sambucus canadensis)
  • 1 part yarrow flower tincture (Achillea millefolium)
  • 1 part nettle leaf tincture (Urtica dioica)
• Directions:
  1. Use fresh plant tinctures if possible, but dried tinctures can be substituted.
  2. Combine all tinctures using a glass beaker for accurate measurements.
  3. Store the mixture in a glass dispensing bottle.
  4. Recommended dosage is 4 ml (approximately 4/5 teaspoon) three times a day.

Conclusion

Goldenrod tincture is a potent herbal remedy with a range of applications for respiratory and urinary health. Its decongestant and anti-inflammatory properties make it an effective choice for treating sinus congestion and seasonal allergies. However, due to potential allergies and contraindications, it should be used with caution and under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Always consult with a healthcare provider before beginning any new herbal treatment.

Source : http://www.wikiphyto.org/wiki/Solidage

Reference on http://www.wikiphyto.org

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plant name

Solidage, Goldenrod , Goldenrod (English)

International Latin denomination

Solidago virgaurea L., sometimes called Solidago virga aurea

botanical family

Asteraceae

Description and habitat

• Tall perennial grass (1 m) of the dry siliceous environments of Europe, America, northern Asia and Africa
• Purplish-red stem, radiate flower heads with yellow flowers in oblong panicles

History and tradition

• Used in the Middle Ages to bring the edges of wounds together, hence its name derived from solidare (or solidum agere ) "to strengthen"
• Native Americans used it against rattlesnake bites ("alexitera" plant: recommended against snakebites)
• Solidage Solidago canadensis and goldenrod Solidago virgaurea are two distinct species with identical properties, they are both on the French Pharmacopoeia list A

Parts used

• Flowering tops

Dosage forms available

• Flowering top tincture
• Flowering plant essential oil

Usual dosages

Composition

Main components of the plant

Flower :

• Triterpene acid genin saponins: virgaureasaponins I and II (bisdesmosidic triterpenoid saponins) [1] , [2] , solidagosaponins , derivatives of polygalacic acid (the aglycone)
• Flavonoids (1.5–2%) as flavonol glycosides  : quercetin , kaempferol , isorhamnetin , quercetin-3-O-beta-glucoside ( isoquercitrin ), quercetin-3-O-beta-galactoside ( hyperoside ), quercetin -3-O-beta-rhamnoside ( quercitrin ), quercetin-3-O-beta-rutinoside ( rutin ), kaempferol-3-O-beta-rhamnoside ( afzelin ), kaempferol-3-O-beta-rutinoside ( nicotiflorin ) ,quercetin-3-/6"-O-acetyl-/-beta-glucopyranoside , kaempferol- 3-/6"-O-acetyl-/-beta-glucopyranoside , kaempferol - 3-/6"-O-acetyl-/-beta-glucopyranoside , isorhamnetin -3-/6"-O-acetyl-/-beta-glucopyranoside , isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-rutinoside ( narcissin )
• Coumarins
• Acids-phenols  : chlorogenic acid ( caffeoylquinic acid ), quinic acid , hydroxycinnamic acids , caffeoyl-shikimic acid, caffeoyl-shikimic acid glucoside ( dattelic acid glucoside )
• Specific bidesmosidic compounds (0.1 to 0.5%): virgaureoside A , leiocarposide
• Clerodane -type diterpenes (solidagoic acids)
• Catechic tannins 10 to 15%
• Oses: glucose , rhamnose , galactose , rutinose
• Essential oil
• Minerals

Leaf :

• rutin

Main components of buds or young shoots

Main components of essential oil

• Sesquiterpenes  : germacrene D (30%)
• Monoterpenes  : alpha-pinene , beta-pinene , limonene , myrcene , sabinene , phellandrene [3]

Properties

Plant properties

• Antioxidant [4]
• Antimicrobial, antibacterial [5] , [6] , [7] and antifungal ( saponins ) [8] , [9] , [10] , anti biofilm activity
• Analgesic [11] , antipyretic (combined with Populus tremula and Fraxinus excelsior ) [12]
• Anti-inflammatory [13] , especially in combination with Populus tremula and Fraxinus excelsior [14] , [15] , [16]
• Spasmolytic, anti-hypertensive [17]
• Diuretic (markedly increases diuresis) [18]
  • Leiocarposide is diuretic , useful in urolithiasis [19] , analgesic and anti-inflammatory [20]
  • Saponosides are detoxifying
• Antidiabetic, hypolipidemic [21]
• Inhibition of adipogenesis [22] , [23] , [24] ( flavonoids , phenolic acids )
• Astringent ( tannins )
• Rutin decreases the fragility of blood vessels
• Sedative
• Antineoplastic, antitumor [25] , cytotoxic on prostate tumors [26]
• A literature review attributes antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, spasmolytic, antihypertensive, diuretic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, cytotoxic, antitumor, antimutagenic, antiadipogenic, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, antisenescence properties to it [27].

Bud properties

Properties of essential oil

Directions

Indications of the whole plant (phytotherapy)

• Acute nephritis and edema of renal origin, albuminuria, oliguria
• Prostatic hypertrophy (prostate cancer?)
• Urolithiasis
• Hair protector, promotes venous circulation
• Diarrhea, enteritis
• Liver detoxification
• Overweight, obesity

Indications of the bud (gemmotherapy)

Specific indications of essential oil (aromatherapy)

• Genito-urinary inflammatory pathologies
• Arteritis

Known or suspected mode of action

• Leiocarposide is diuretic and anti-inflammatory, analgesic
• Saponosides are detoxifying
• Rutin decreases the fragility of blood vessels
• The biotransformation, by the intestinal microbiota, of certain phytochemicals that cannot cross the intestinal epithelial barrier into smaller metabolites, improves the permeability, transport and bioavailability of these compounds, without modifying their properties [28].

Usual formulations

Regulations

• French Pharmacopoeia list A (flowering top)

Possible side effects and precautions for use

• Possible allergies
• Avoid in pregnant or breastfeeding women

Bibliographic references

1. Go↑ Hiller, K., Bader, G., & Schulten, HR (1987). Virgaureasaponin 1, ein neues bisdesmosidisches Triterpensaponin aus Solidago virgaurea L. Pharmazie, 42(8), 541-543.
2. Go↑ Bader, G., Wray, V., & Hiller, K. (1992). Virgaureasaponin 3, a 3, 28-bisdesmosidic triterpenoid saponin from Solidago virgaurea. Phytochemistry, 31(2), 621-623.
3. Go↑ Kalemba D. Constituents of the essential oil of Solidago virgaurea L. Flavor and fragrance journal, 1998, vol. 13, no.6, pp. 373-376 [1]
4. Go↑ Apáti P, Houghton PJ, Kéry A. HPLC investigation of antioxidant components in Solidago herba. Acta Pharm Hung. 2004;74(4):223-31. PMID 16316050
5. Go↑ Hülya Demir, Leyla Açık, E. Burcu Bali, L. Yasemin Koç, Gönül Kaynak. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Solidago virgaurea extracts. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 8 (2), p. 274-279. [full text: http://ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/viewFile/59785/48062 ]
6. Go↑ Kołodziej, B., Kowalski, R., & Kędzia, B. (2011). Antibacterial and antimutagenic activity of extracts aboveground parts of three Solidago species: Solidago virgaurea L., Solidago canadensis L. and Solidago gigantea Ait. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 5(31), 6770-6779.
7. Go↑ Starks, CM, Williams, RB, Goering, MG, O'Neil-Johnson, M., Norman, VL, Hu, JF, ... & Eldridge, GR (2010). Antibacterial clerodane diterpenes from Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea). Phytochemistry, 71(1), 104-109.
8. Go↑ Bader G, Binder K, Hiller K, Ziegler-Böhme H. The antifungal action of triterpene saponins of Solidago virgaurea L. Pharmazie. 1987 Feb; 42(2):140.
9. Go↑ Chevalier, M., Medioni, E., & Prêcheur, I. (2012). Inhibition of Candida albicans yeast–hyphal transition and biofilm formation by Solidago virgaurea water extracts. Journal of medical microbiology, 61(7), 1016-1022.
10. Go↑ Pepeljnjak, S., Kuštrak, D., & Vukušić, I. (1998). Investigation of the Antimycotic Activities of Solidago virgaurea and Solidago gigantea Extracts. In Program and Abstracts (p. K18).
11. Go↑ Huber B. Therapie degenerative rheumatischer Erkrankungen. Bedarf an zusätzlicher analgetischer Medikation unter Phytodolor N [Therapy of degenerative rheumatic diseases. Need for additional analgesic medication with Phytodolor N]. Fortschr Med. 1991 Apr 10;109(11):248-50. German. PMID 1855751 .
12. Go↑ Okpanyi SN, Schirpke-von Paczensky R, Dickson D. [Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effect of various plant extracts and their combinations in an animal model]. Arzneimittel-forschung. 1989 Jun;39(6):698-703. PMID 2476136 .
13. Go↑ Amira Abdel Motaal, Shahira M. Ezzat, Mariane G. Tadros & Hesham I. El-Askary (2016) In vivo anti-inflammatory activity of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives from Solidago virgaurea in rats, Pharmaceutical Biology, 54:12, 2864-2870 , DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2016.1190381
14. Go↑ Gundermann KJ, Müller J. Phytodolor--effects and efficacy of a herbal medicine. Vienna Med Wochenschr. 2007;157(13-14):343-7. PMID 17704984
15. Go↑ el-Ghazaly M, Khayyal MT, Okpanyi SN, Arens-Corell M. Study of the anti-inflammatory activity of Populus tremula, Solidago virgaurea and Fraxinus excelsior. Arzneimittelforschung. 1992 Mar;42(3):333-6. PMID 1497695
16. Go↑ Strehl E, Schneider W, Elstner EF. Inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase activity by alcoholic extracts from Fraxinus excelsior, Populus tremula and Solidago virgaurea. Arzneimittelforschung. 1995 Feb;45(2):172-3. PMID 7710442
17. Go↑ von Kruedener S, Schneider W, Elstner EF. A combination of Populus tremula, Solidago virgaurea and Fraxinus excelsior as an anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic drug. A short review. Arzneimittelforschung. 1995 Feb;45(2):169-71. PMID 7710441
18. Go↑ Chodera A, Dabrowska K, Sloderbach A, Skrzypczak L, Budzianowski J. Effect of flavonoid fractions of Solidago virgaurea L on diuresis and levels of electrolytes. Acta Pol Pharm. 1991;48(5-6):35-7. PMID 1669338
19. Go↑ Chodera A, Dabrowska K, Bobkiewicz-Kozłowska T, Tkaczyk J, Skrzypczak L, Budzianowski J. [Effect of leiocarposide on experimental urinary calculi in rats] Acta Pol Pharm. 1988;45(2):181-6. PMID 3239428
20. Go↑ Metzner J, Hirschelmann R, Hiller K. [Antiphlogistic and analgesic effects of leiocarposide, a phenolic bisglucoside of Solidago virgaurea L.]. Pharmacy. 1984 Dec;39(12):869-70. PMID 6531401
21. Go↑ Sanad, FAA, Ahmed, SF, & El-Tantawy, WH (2020). Antidiabetic and hypolipidemic potentials of Solidago virgaurea extract in alloxan-induced diabetes type 1. Archives of physiology and biochemistry, 1-8.
22. Go↑ Jang YS, Wang Z, Lee JM, Lee JY, Lim SS. Screening of Korean Natural Products for Anti-Adipogenesis Properties and Isolation of Kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside as a Potent Anti-Adipogenetic Compound from Solidago virgaurea. Molecules. 2016; 21(2):226. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21020226
23. Go↑ Zhiqiang Wang, Ju Hee Kim, Young Soo Jang, Chea Ha Kim, Jae-Yong Lee & Soon Sung Lim (2017) Anti-obesity effect of Solidago virgaurea var. gigantea extract through regulation of adipogenesis and lipogenesis pathways in high-fat diet-induced obese mice (C57BL/6N), Food & Nutrition Research, 61:1, DOI: 10.1080/16546628.2016.1273479
24. Go↑ Young Soo Jang, Hyun-Yong Kim, Guanglei Zuo, Eun Hee Lee, Sung Kwon Kang, Soon Sung Lim. Constituents from Solidago virgaurea var. gigantea and their inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation. Fitoterapia, Volume 146, 2020, 104683, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2020.104683 .
25. Go↑ Bader, G., Plohmann, B., Franz, G., & Hiller, K. (1996, September). Saponin from Solidago virgaurea L. Possible Agents for Therapy of Cancer. In 44th Annual Congress of the Society for Medicinal Plant Research and a Joint Meeting with the Czech Biotechnology Society. Abstracts of Lectures and Poster Presentations, Prague, September (pp. 3-7).
26. Go↑ Gross SC, Goodarzi G, Watabe M, Bandyopadhyay S, Pai SK, Watabe K. Antineoplastic activity of Solidago virgaurea on prostatic tumor cells in an SCID mouse model. Nutri Cancer. 2002;43(1):76-81. PMID 12467138
27. Go↑ Fursenco, C., Calalb, T., Uncu, L., Dinu, M., & Ancuceanu, R. (2020). Solidago virgaurea L.: A Review of Its Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities. Biomolecules, 10(12), 1619.
28. Go↑ Popowski, D., Czerwińska, ME, Kruk, A., Pawłowska, KA, Zentek, J., Melzig, MF, ... & Granica, S. (2021). Gut microbiota metabolism and the permeability of natural products contained in infusions from herb of European goldenrod Solidago virgaurea L. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 273, 113924.

• Ghedira, K., & Goetz, P. (2015). Solidago virgaurea L.: Goldenrod (Asteraceae). Phytotherapy, 13(1), 49-54.
• ASSESSMENT REPORT ON SOLIDAGO VIRGAUREA L., HERBA. European Medicines Agency, Evaluation of Medicines for Human Use, London, 4 September 2008 Doc. Ref. EMEA/HMPC/285759/2007 full text

• Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Not recommended for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding due to insufficient safety data.
• Allergies: Those with allergies to the Asteraceae family (ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds) should exercise caution.
• Skin Sensitivity: Rarely, goldenrod may cause allergic contact dermatitis.
• Fluid Retention: Avoid "irrigation therapy" with goldenrod if you have fluid retention due to heart or kidney conditions.
• High Blood Pressure: Goldenrod may exacerbate high blood pressure by increasing sodium retention.