Gallbladder Infection & Goldenseal Root

If you suffer chronic cholecystitis, or gallbladder inflammation, goldenseal may help improve your symptoms. However, this is a condition that requires medical treatment so don’t take this herb in lieu of visiting a doctor. While goldenseal is one of the most popular herbs in the United States, its safety and effectiveness have not been established, so consult your doctor before trying it, advises the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Identification

Your gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ just beneath your liver on your right side. It holds digestive fluid called bile. Bile is released into your small intestine. According to a University of Colorado Denver monograph on goldenseal, a substance in this herb called berberine stimulates bile secretions as well as bilirubin secretions. Bilirubin is a yellowish pigment that’s found in bile. In test tubes, berberine also kills some types of bacteria, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Significance

The bilirubin in goldenseal may cause symptoms of gallbladder inflammation to disappear in some people, according to “Indian Herbal Remedies,” by C.P. Khare, founder and president of the Society for New Age Herbals in New Delhi, India. With chronic cholecystitis, you may suffer nausea, gas or abdominal discomfort after meals and chronic diarrhea. Symptoms of acute cholecystitis include severe pain in the upper right portion of your abdomen, an abdomen that is tender to the touch, pain that radiates to your back or right shoulder from your abdomen, nausea, vomiting, sweating, chills, fever and abdominal bloating. Your symptoms are most likely to occur right after a meal, especially if it is high in fat, according to MayoClinic.com. If your pain is so severe that you cannot get comfortable, you need emergency medical treatment.

Expert Insight

While some data supports goldenseal for improving symptoms of cholecystitis, there’s not enough scientific evidence to support using it for this health problem, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM. Few published studies exist on goldenseal’s safety or effectiveness for any health problem. Also, goldenseal preparations typically only have small amounts of berberine in them, making it difficult to extend evidence of its effectiveness to goldenseal, notes NCCAM. Cholecystitis is often caused by gallstones that block your cystic duct. A tumor or another type of blockage also can cause this condition. If not properly treated, this condition can lead to serious complications such as a gallbladder that ruptures, according to MayoClinic.com. Seek medical attention and follow your doctor’s guidance for goldenseal or any other remedy. You may need to be hospitalized.

Considerations

Goldenseal side effects are rare. They include nausea and vomiting. If you take medication discuss this herb with your doctor because it can change many drugs’ effects. Also avoid this herb if you are pregnant. This herb is contraindicated if you have liver disease, high blood pressure or heart disease.