Echinacea and goldenseal are powerful herbs that have been used throughout history for their healing properties. Used in complementary and alternative medicine, these healing herbs are frequently found compounded together and prescribed by holistic health practitioners to relieve numerous complaints. Because of their widespread use, echinacea and goldenseal remain the focus of scientific scrutiny to prove their effectiveness.
Common Cold
A popular use for the herbs goldenseal and echinacea centers around their propensity to shorten the duration of the common cold. This property has been the focus of many scientific studies, most of which have opposing results on the matter. The root of the goldenseal plant is dried and either used whole in teas or crushed to make tablets. A compound called berberine may give goldenseal its cold-reducing properties, as it is a natural anti-bacterial. Echinacea flowers and leaves are used in herbal preparations, such as teas, to shorten the duration of the common cold.
Symptom Relief
Both echinacea and goldenseal are used to soothe symptoms associated with the common cold, upper respiratory infections, malaria and influenza. Typically, these illnesses cause sore throat, nasal congestion and high fever. Goldenseal preparations are used as a mouthwash for sore throat and to rinse the eyes, providing relief from viral and bacterial infections. Echinacea is taken by mouth to reduce the systemic inflammation and pain common to these conditions. Although the scientific proof is lacking for both herbs, users support these herbs for symptom relief.
Immune Booster
The immune system is responsible for fighting infection and keeping the body healthy. Many immunity support supplements contain a complement of echinacea and goldenseal to help boost the immune system. Echinacea contains polysaccharides, which may be responsible for its immune-modulating properties. Although scientific proof is lacking, the berberine in goldenseal may increase white blood cell health and count, which in turn supports the immune functions throughout the body.
Topical
Goldenseal and echinacea have topical benefits. Echinacea is used on skin boils and slow-healing wounds, and has even been tried on viral skin infections with a modicum of success. Goldenseal liquid extract is used as a disinfectant on the skin and to treat acne lesions. These herbs can be used topically as a tincture, cream preparation or poultice made from extracts and applied directly to the skin.
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