Golden Thread Supreme‚Ñ¢ is the powdered rhizome of the plant Coptis chinensis. This herb has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over two thousand years. It contains a number of alkaloids that have been subject to recent research. The most well known of these alkaloids is berberine, the component that gives goldenseal, coptis, and oregon grape root their yellow/gold color, bitter taste and some of their therapeutic effect. Coptis chinensis contains 5-7% berberine as well as other important therapeutic compounds such as coptisine [1].
Much of the following information has been gleaned from textbooks translated from the Chinese. Golden Thread has been used extensively in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders that are of a pathogenic origin [2]. It has proven to be an effective antifungal [3], antibacterial (including staph aureus, h.pylorii, strep pneumonia, tuberculosis, shigella, pseudomonas, salmonella, and many gram positive bacteria and mycobacterium) [4, 5, 6, 7, 8], antiparasitic [9, 10, 11] (including leptospirosis, trichomonas, amoeba, giardia), antiBiofilm [12] and antiviral [13] (including influenza and Newcastle virus) herb. It is also reported to have antiradiation effects [14]. In a situation where you have an “over facilitated sympathetic nervous system” berberine in Coptis has been shown to be helpful. It can also increase bile production and is used in the Orient in cases of chronic gall bladder problems, cold sores, and to help slow the development of atherosclerosis [15, 16].
In a fairly recent study, a decoction of Coptis (Golden Thread) was used as an enema in the treatment of ulcerative colitis on several patients with excellent results, as well as in controlled studies on mice with ulcerative colitis [17].
In China it has been used to treat infantile dysentery, Trichomoniasis, diphtheria, scarlet fever, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, tonsillitis, eczema, type II diabetes and ventricular extra systole [18, 19, 20].
I have used Coptis (Golden Thread) for 15 years and have found it to be another great antimicrobial as effective as Melia and Morinda. I used to use it in tincture form but stopped years ago as I find the capsules do not stress the liver like the alcohol in the tincture might and it appears to reach further down in the gastrointestinal tract (as a capsule) and in general to be more effective. I find sometimes one or sometimes more of these aforementioned antimicrobials are needed for the patient. There are times when Coptis will work when Morinda and Melia do not. Between the three of them, they should cover a wide range of conditions.
Most of the research being done currently on Coptis (Golden Thread) is being conducted on laboratory mice or other animals. Nevertheless, the results show the potential usefulness of Coptis in a number of areas. Besides confirming the traditional uses of Coptis, the research indicates that it is hepatoprotective [21] probably due to antioxidant properties, and can lower blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels [22, 23]. In one study the effects of several Coptis alkaloids were examined on the inhibition of cholinesterases and beta amyloids [24]. The results of this study indicated that “...coptidis rhizoma alkaloids have a strong potential of inhibition and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease...”. It also acts as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor and thus can potentially be used as an anti-depressant [25].
In one study taking coptis worked as well as Clotrimazole against vulvovaginal candidiasis, but the recurrence rate was 66% less when taking coptis, making it a better option [26]. It also works as an anti-microbial against Brucella abortus and against H. Pylori in addition to repairing the stomach [27, 28]. New research shows it also reduces the pain in those suffering from IBS by decreasing CCK and serotonin release in the distal colon [29].
As you can see, like most of our products it has many, many possible uses, and should be checked with every patient.
References available on request