Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Yellow root (commonly referring to Hydrastis canadensis or goldenseal) has been traditionally used in North American herbal medicine, especially within Native American practices, for a variety of ailments, including infections. The root contains compounds such as berberine, hydrastine, and canadine, which have been shown in laboratory studies to possess antimicrobial activity. However, most of the traditional use has focused on bacterial rather than viral infections. There is little to no robust clinical evidence supporting the use of yellow root specifically for viral infections in humans. The rationale for its use against infections comes from the general antimicrobial properties of berberine, but the majority of available studies are in vitro or in animal models, and their relevance to human viral infections is unclear. Thus, while yellow root is sometimes employed in traditional medicine for infections broadly, its use for viral infections is not strongly supported by either tradition or science. The evidence rating of 2 reflects some traditional use and minimal preliminary biological plausibility, but a lack of high-quality clinical data, especially for viral rather than bacterial or fungal infections.

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