Goldenseal is one of a handful of herbs that contain a yellow alkaloid called berberine. 

There has been a lot of research done on the value of berberine which you can read about in The Amazing Benefits of Berberine. 

Berberine is an antibacterial and antifungal agent and herbs that contain this bright yellow alkaloid have been used around the world to treat infections. They've also been used to make yellow dyes.

Back in the 1980s and 90s, one of the most popular herbal duos in the marketplace was goldenseal and echinacea. This combination was used as an antibiotic alternative and I found it valuable for sinus and urinary tract infections.

While it's still a powerful combination, because of its scarcity most everyone uses Oregon grape or other herbs with berberine in place of goldenseal. 

These alternatives are great substitutes that work just as well in most cases.

But, one particular infection I would still use goldenseal for is amebic dysentery (giardia). The plant is officially recognized as a remedy for this parasitic infection in several countries. It's the most common cause of diarrhea from drinking contaminated water. A good way to use goldenseal for this purpose would be to take two capsules of goldenseal or 60 drops of a tincture or extract along with one capsule of activated charcoal every four hours until symptoms cease.

I had an interesting experience using goldenseal and garlic to treat a dental abscess. The dentist couldn't get me in right away and gave me a prescription for an antibiotic to fight the infection until I could get the tooth taken care of.

I didn't want to take them because I had been given a lot of antibiotics when I was young due to chronic sinus and respiratory infections. 

These antibiotics had devastated my gut flora and I had worked hard to restore it to a healthy state and I didn't want to go through that again.

So, I decided to try using garlic and goldenseal instead. 

I ate one clove of raw garlic and took two capsules of goldenseal every four hours for two days. This protocol worked very well. It rapidly took down the swelling and relieved the pain.

One of the real strengths of goldenseal is its ability to tone up mucus membranes while reducing low-grade or subacute inflammation. 

This is not due to its berberine content, but rather to an alkaloid called hydrastine, which contracts tissues and stops bleeding. This mildly astringent property in goldenseal is one of the things that differentiates it from other herbs with berberine.

It's hydrastine that makes goldenseal helpful topically for red, irritated eyes when used as an eyewash. In fact, I've heard that hydrastine was once used in over-the-counter eyedrops. 

I successfully used an herbal eyewash formula containing eyebright, bayberry, and goldenseal to treat myself when I had conjunctivitis. I made a strong tea of this blend and applied it to the eye with cotton balls as a compress.

I've also used goldenseal for sore throats. In this case, I've made a gargle formula using equal parts goldenseal, echinacea, and myrrh gum along with a small pinch of capsicum. 

You make this as a decoction and gargle with it. The capsicum makes the gargle sting when you first use it, but it also helps numb the pain. If you don't want that effect, however, leave it out.

You could also use the above mixture as a mouthwash. Make an alcohol extract from it and dilute some in warm water to rinse out the mouth. You can also use goldenseal and myrrh gum as a toothpowder for bleeding gums.

Another use for goldenseal is as a remedy for chronic, low-grade sinus infections and nasal polyps. Although you can take it internally, it’s even more effective to make a mixture of goldenseal and bayberry rootbark powders and use it as a snuff or nasal wash. 

Take a pinch of the powders and snort it up your nose. It will make you sneeze and cause copious drainage, so it’s not the most pleasant treatment, but it’s very effective. You could also make a decoction of the mixture and use it as a nasal wash with either a neti pot or a bulb syringe.

Goldenseal is also helpful when used topically for skin ulcerations or wounds that aren’t healing properly.

 Matthew Wood, in The Book of Herbal Wisdom, says that goldenseal is a remedy that helps to seal tissues. He uses the tincture topically for “torn disks in the spine, torn meniscus in the knee, torn bursa in the hip, etc.” Because it seals up tissue, it should not be applied to dirty wounds as, according to Matthew, “...it will seal in the “pus, dirt, and infection.” Plantain is better for this purpose.

If you have an elderly person or a pet who has skin ulcerations sprinkling goldenseal powder over the affected area can aid healing. 

I’ve used goldenseal topically as part of a poultice mixture for these purposes.