Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.) Extracts Inhibit the Growth of Fungal Isolates Associated with American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) Molecules January 2024 Link Here Ginseng is a valuable crop used as a holistic medicine to improve brain health, immune function, blood sugar regulation, sexual health, and slow the aging process through its high antioxidant activity. The one thing this root crop is not great at is fighting off fungal pathogens during its long (4-6+ year) growing season. Ginseng is susceptible to many of the same culprits we see on the other crops we know and love. For instance, Alternaria and Fusarium are commonly known to ire the gentlest of gardeners. Enter Goldenseal. Goldenseal is a common herbaceous plant that humans use for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory health promoting benefits. Goldenseal contains a compound called Berberine which has antibiotic properties. With this knowledge, a group of researchers from Middle Tennessee State University looked to see if this north American native buttercup relative, also harvested as a root crop, would fend off fungal diseases in Ginseng. To do this, the researchers made simple extracts of Goldenseal by soaking dried root and leaf material in either water or alcohol (ethanol), then taking that extract and adding it to the jelly-like agar in petri dishes. The extract solution was added to the agar at 0% (control), 0.25%, 0.50%, 1.0%, and 2.0%. The petri dishes were then inoculated with one of three fungal pathogens, Alternaria, Fusarium, or Pestalotiopsis. The fungal disease were then allowed to grow, and the researchers documented how their growth rates. And guess what..... it worked!!! The 2% Goldenseal extract was able to significantly reduce the growth of the pathogens. The ethanol extract outperformed the water extract, but both showed anti-fungal action. Alternaria growth was reduced by 86%, and Fusarium by 95%!!! The other disease, which is a new one to me, was reduced by 39% which is better than nothing. The researchers looked at the shape of the fungal root systems, and saw that hyphal morphology was indeed affected by the ginseng extract (in disease causing fungi, hyphae are used to enter and infect plants, if their shape is modified, so is their function). This study further shows that mother nature provides the tools that can lead us to a more sustainable future, we just have to find them! Goldenseal extract is one of many bioactive compounds that we can use to help grow without using toxifying synthetic fungicides. For more details on this interesting study, including how to make the extract, click the Like Here button above. Thanks Tennessee scientists!!!!
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