Bitter in taste and vivid in hue, the folk remedy yellow root tea is made from the dried rhizomes of Xanthorhiza simplicissima. Yellow root possesses some of the same medicinal properties of goldenseal. Native to North America, yellow root grows along woodland streams. The small shrub has jagged compound leaves and delicate purple blooms in the spring. Herbalists gather the shrub's rhizomes for use in healing teas and tonics.
Active Ingredient
Yellow root's primary compound, berberine, has therapeutic properties. Other medicinal plants containing berberine, which can turn plant parts yellow, include goldenseal, goldenthread, Oregon grape, barberry and tree turmeric. Depending on the concentration, berberine is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. It is considered a sedative and has been studied for use in treating irregular heart beat, eye infections and compromised immune systems.
Potential Uses
Herbalists sometimes use yellow root as an additive for goldenseal, which is more difficult to obtain. Goldenseal is another plant that contains berberine. Traditional uses for yellow root tea include the treatment of diarrhea, mouth sores, diabetes, seizures and sore throat. Drugs.com notes that yellow root tea may stabilize spikes in blood pressure.
Benefits
While yellow root has a rich legacy in folk medicine, its current status is not as clear. Not enough research exists to confirm its effectiveness for treating temporary problems like diarrhea, or a more chronic illness, such as diabetes. If you've found yellow root tea helpful in the past, ask your practitioner about continued use of the herb, as well as recommendations on how much tea to drink.
Alternatives
Barberry and goldenseal, both of which contain berberine, are used somewhat interchangeably in herbal medicine, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. UMMC reports that more research on barberry's effectiveness exists than does research on goldenseal. Barberry is effective against diarrhea, urinary tract infections, yeast infections, rapid heart beat, seizures and high blood pressure. It is available as a tea or tincture. Goldenseal is also a popular herbal medication, but less research exists on its effectiveness, according to UMMC.
Yellow Root vs. Yellow Root
Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) is also sometimes known by the alternative common name yellow root. Both yellow root and goldenseal contain berberine. Goldenseal has a reputation in some circles for "beating" drug tests, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. While little evidence exists to support this legendary use of goldenseal, people who know goldenseal as yellow root may be especially disappointed if they mistakenly take Xanthorhiza simplicissima instead of Hydrastis canadensis.
References
- Drugs.com: Yellow Root
- Duke University; Yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima); June 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Barberry; Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD; December 2008
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Goldenseal; Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD; March 2009
- "Alternative Medicine Review"; Berberine; November 2000
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