Hydrastis canadensis

Hydrastis canadensis
(golden seal)
* Acts especially on mucous membranes, relaxing them and producing a thick, yellowish,
ropy secretion.
* The catarrh may be anywhere, -throat, stomach, uterus, urethra, -it is always characterized
by this peculiar mucous discharge.
* Hydrastis is especially active in old, easily-tired people, cachectic individuals, with great
debility.
* Cerebral effects prominent, feels his wits sharpened, head cleared, facile expression.
* Weak muscular power, poor digestion and obstinate constipation.
* Lumbago.
* Emaciation and prostration.
* Its action on the liver is marked.
* Cancer and cancerous state, before ulceration, when pain is principal symptom.
* Goitre of puberty and pregnancy.
* Small-pox internally and locally.
* The power of Hydrastis over smallpox seen in modifying the disease, abolishing its
distressing symptoms, shortening its course, lessening its danger and greatly mitigating its
consequences. (J.J. Garth Wilkinson.)
Mind
- Depressed; sure of death, and desires it.
Head
- Dull, pressing frontal pain, especially connected with constipation.
- Myalgic pain in scalp and muscles of neck. [Cimicif.]
- Eczema on forehead along line of hair.
- Sinusitis, after coryza.
Ears
- Roaring.
- Muco-purulent discharge.
- Deafness.
- Estachian catarrh, with high-pitched voice.
Nose
- Thick, tenacious secretion from posterior nares to throat.
- Watery, excoriating discharge.
- Ozaena, with ulceration of septum.
- Tends to blow nose all the time.
Mouth
- Peppery taste.
- Tongue white, swollen, large, flabby, slimy; shows imprint of teeth [Merc.]; as if scalded;
stomatitis.
- Ulceration of tongue, fissures toward the edges.
Throat
- Follicular pharyngitis.
- Raw, smarting, excoriating sensation.
- Hawking of yellow, tenacious mucus. [Kali bich.]
- Child is aroused suddenly from sleep by this tenacious post-nasal dropping.
- Goitre of puberty and pregnancy.
Stomach
- Sore feeling in stomach more or less constant.
- Weak digestion.
- Bitter taste.
- Pain as from a hard-cornered substance.
- Gone feeling.
- Pulsation in epigastrium.
- Cannot eat bread or vegetables.
- Atonic dyspepsia.
- Ulcers and cancer.
- Gastritis.
Abdomen
- Gastro-duodenal catarrh.
- Liver torpid, tender.
- Jaundice.
- Gallstones.
- Dull dragging in right groin with cutting sensation into right testicle.
Back
- Dull, heavy, dragging pain and stiffness, particularly across lumbar region, must use arms in
raising himself from seat.
Rectum
- Prolapsed; anus fissured.
- Constipation, with sinking feeling in stomach, and dull headache.
- During stool, smarting pain in rectum.
- After stool, long-lasting pain. [Nit. ac.]
- Haemorrhoids; even a light flow exhausts.
- Contraction and spasm.
Urine
- Gleety discharge.
- Urine smells decomposed.
Male
- Gonorrhoea, second stage; discharge thick and yellow.
Female
- Erosion and excoriation of cervix.
- Leucorrhoea, worse after menses [Bov.; Calc. c];acrid and corroding, shreddy, tenacious.
- Menorrhagia.
- Pruritus vulvae, with profuse leucorrhoea. [Calc. c; Kreos.; Sep.]
- Sexual excitement.
- Tumor of breast; nipple retracted.
Respiratory
- Chest raw, sore, burning.
- Dry, harsh cough.
- Bronchial catarrh, later stages.
- Bronchitis in old, exhausted persons, with thick, yellow, tenacious expectoration.
- Frequent fainty spells, with cold sweat all over.
- Feels suffocating when lying on left side.
- Pain from chest to left shoulder.
Skin
- Eruption like variola.
- Lupus; ulcers, cancerous formations.
- General tendency to profuse perspiration and unhealthy skin. [Hepar.]
Relationship
- Antidote : Sulph.
- Useful after too much Chlorate of Potash for sore throat.
- Compare : Xanthorrhiza apifolia; Kali bich.; Conium; Ars. iod.; Phytol.; Galium (cancernodulated tumor of the tongue); Asterias; Stann.; Puls.
- Also Manzanita (diarrhoea, gonorrhoea, gleet, leucorrhoea, catarrhal conditions).
- Hydrastinum muriaticum-Muriate of Hydrastia. (Locally, in aphthous sore mouth, ulcers,
ulcerated sore throat, ozaena, etc. Internally, third dec. trit. Is a uterine haemostatic and
vasoconstrictor; metrorrhagia, especially from fibroid tumors; haemorrhages; in dilatation of
the stomach, and chronic digestive disorders).
- Hydrastin sulph 1x (haemorrhage of bowels in typhoid).
- Marrubium-Hoarhound-(a stimulant to mucous membranes, especially laryngeal and
bronchial; chronic bronchitis, dyspepsia, and hepatic disorders; colds and coughs).
Dose
- Tincture, to thirtieth attenuation.
- Locally colorless.
- Hydrastis, mother tincture, or fluid extract.