Common Goldenrod, Or Golden Rod

Common Goldenrod, Or Golden Rod

Compositae - Asteraceae (Compositae). Common name: golden wound grass. Parts used: aerial part of the plant. Pharmacy name: golden rod herb - Solidaginis herba (formerly: Herba Virgaureae).

Botanical description. This is a perennial herbaceous plant, less often a subshrub. The erect stem is rounded, with longitudinal stripes, up to 1 m in height, short-hairy at the top, brown, violet or purple at the bottom. The branching is paniculate, the leaves are alternate. The lower leaves are petiolate, the upper leaves are sessile.

The flowers are yellow, with a weak aroma, the inflorescences-baskets are collected in simple racemes or racemose panicles. Blooms from August to October. At the end of summer and beginning of autumn, this healing plant delights the traveler in dry forest glades, open slopes, in light forests, on sunny hills and along the edges of forests.

Collection and preparation. It is best to collect at the beginning of flowering - in the first weeks of August. They do not take the entire aerial part, but preferably the inflorescence area, since it usually does not become lignified. The raw materials are dried in bunches in the shade.

Active ingredients: essential oil, tannin, bitterness, saponins and flavonoids.

Healing action and application. The golden rod has firmly taken its place in the treatment - mainly by rinsing - inflammation of the bladder and kidneys, and painful urination. In addition, it can have a stimulating effect on metabolism and be effective for skin diseases, as well as liver diseases. Numerous teas (especially for rheumatism, gout and so-called blood purifying teas) include golden rod as a component.

The German National Health Service recommends the golden rod for rinsing with inflammation of the urinary tract, with urolithiasis, as well as for its prevention, but with the caveat that these recommendations are not valid for edema due to heart and kidney failure.

Note. Canadian goldenrod (Solidago sapa-densis L.) and giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea Ait.) have an effect similar to goldenrod.

Use in homeopathy. The homeopathic remedy Solidago virgaurea is prepared from fresh inflorescences. It is considered kidney specific in homeopathy. They treat chronic inflammation of the kidneys, especially if they are accompanied by skin rashes, swollen glands, edema, catarrh and rheumatic pain. D1 and D1 are the most common dilutions of this remedy, which should be taken 2 to several times a day, 5-10 drops.

Use in folk medicine. And here the golden rod is used primarily as a remedy against diseases of the bladder and kidneys, dropsy, bedwetting, rheumatism and gout, as well as against various skin diseases. The golden rod can also be of good use for whooping cough and asthma. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that in folk medicine, gum abscesses, purulent wounds and swellings are treated by applying fresh crushed golden rod leaves to them. It is known that Martin Luther greatly appreciated the golden rod and used it to treat his many ailments.

Side effects are unknown. However, if you have chronic kidney disease, you should consult your doctor.