Asteraceae – Asteraceae (Compositae).
Common name: golden wound grass.
Parts Used: Above-ground part of the plant.
Pharmacy name: golden rod herb – Solidaginis herba (formerly: Herba Virgaureae).
Botanical description. It is a perennial herbaceous plant, rarely a semi-shrub. The erect stem is rounded, with longitudinal stripes, up to 1 m in height, shortly pubescent in the upper part, brown, purple or purple below. Panicled branching, alternate leaves. The lower leaves are petiolate, the upper ones are sessile. The flowers are yellow, with a weak aroma, inflorescences-baskets are collected in simple brushes or racemose panicles. Blooms from August to October. At the end of summer and at the beginning of autumn, this medicinal plant pleases 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 area of the inflorescence, since it traditionally does not lignify. 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 washing – of inflammation of the bladder and kidneys, painful urination. In addition, it can have a stimulating effect on metabolism, be effective in skin diseases, as well as liver diseases. Numerous teas (especially for rheumatism, gout and the so-called blood-purifying teas) include a golden rod as a component. The German National Health Service recommends a golden rod for washing with inflammation of the urinary tract, with urolithiasis, also for its prevention, but with the proviso 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 that of the golden rod.
- Golden rod tea: 1-2 teaspoons topped with golden rod grass, pour 1/4 liter of cold water, bring to a boil, let stand for 2 minutes; or pour boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes. If there are no contraindications, drink 3 cups of tea every day.
Use in homeopathy. Homeopathic remedy Solidago virgaurea is prepared from fresh inflorescences. It is considered in homeopathy to be specific to the kidneys. They treat chronic inflammations of the kidneys, especially if they are accompanied by skin rashes, swelling of the glands, edema, catarrhs and rheumatic pains. D 1 and D 1 – the most common dilutions of this remedy, which should be taken 2 to several times every day, 5-10 drops.
Application in folk medicine. And here the golden rod is used primarily as a remedy for diseases of the bladder and kidneys, dropsy, bedwetting, rheumatism and gout, as well as against all kinds of skin diseases. A golden rod can also serve well for whooping cough and asthma. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that in folk medicine gum abscesses, purulent wounds and swelling are treated by applying fresh crushed leaves of a golden rod on them. It is known that Martin Luther greatly appreciated the golden rod and treated his many ailments with it.
Side effects are unknown. However, in case of chronic kidney disease, a doctor should be consulted.