Devil's Club Herbarium
Latin Name: Oplopanax horridus
Common Names: Bois Piquant, Cukilanarpak, Devils Club, Devil's Root, Fatsia, Garrote del Diablo, Panax Horridum
Family: Araliaceae
Descriptive Characteristics:
Part of the plant used:
Texture:
Color:
Aroma:
Flavor:
Constituents: Natural Medicine Database (2019) says saponins, glycerides, tannins, oleic acid, unsaturated fatty acids; no alkaloids or gallic acid. Inner bark has polyenes (falcarinol, falcarindiol, oplopandiol). Root bark has sesquiterpenes (alpha-cubebene, trans-nerolidol, spathulenol, oplopanone), stearic acid, stigmasterol, ß-sitoserol, and lignans.
Therapeutic Actions: Natural Medicine Database (2019) says purgative, emetic, anti-bacterial, anti-cancer.
Indications: Griffin (1997) says regulate blood sugar (p. 140).She says it’s reported to be similar to Siberian ginseng (p. 141). Gardner (2013) says to control diabetes and it has been duplicated in studies (p. 608). Natural Medicine Database (2019) says internal and external infections, arthritis, wound healing, fever, tuberculosis, stomach trouble, cough, cold, sore throat, diabetes, hypoglycemia, pneumonia, swollen glands, boils, sores, burns, and skin infections.
Formulary:
Dosage:
Natural Medicine Database (2019)
Dried root/stems: 1/3 – ½ glass – Fill 3-gallon pot with herb them cover with water. Boil for 3-4 hours.
1:2 fresh or 1:5 dried 60% Tincture: 15-30 drops 3/day
Cold Infusion: 1-3 fl 3/day
Safety: Gardner (2013) says the safety has not been assessed in pregnant and lactation women though the review didn’t identify anything immediately which would pose an issue. There were also no issues identified which would indicate potential reactions (p. 608).
Lab, Notes And Media:
Research:
References
Gardner, Z. & McGuffin, M. (2013). American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, Fl: CRC Press. p. 608-9.
Griffin, J. (1997). Mother Nature’s Herbal: A Complete Guide for Experiencing the Beauty, Knowledge, & Synergy of Everything that Grows. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications. p. 140-41.
Natural Medicine Database. (2020). Devil’s Club. Retrieved from https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs-supplements/professional.aspx?productid=732
Common Names: Bois Piquant, Cukilanarpak, Devils Club, Devil's Root, Fatsia, Garrote del Diablo, Panax Horridum
Family: Araliaceae
Descriptive Characteristics:
Part of the plant used:
Texture:
Color:
Aroma:
Flavor:
Constituents: Natural Medicine Database (2019) says saponins, glycerides, tannins, oleic acid, unsaturated fatty acids; no alkaloids or gallic acid. Inner bark has polyenes (falcarinol, falcarindiol, oplopandiol). Root bark has sesquiterpenes (alpha-cubebene, trans-nerolidol, spathulenol, oplopanone), stearic acid, stigmasterol, ß-sitoserol, and lignans.
Therapeutic Actions: Natural Medicine Database (2019) says purgative, emetic, anti-bacterial, anti-cancer.
Indications: Griffin (1997) says regulate blood sugar (p. 140).She says it’s reported to be similar to Siberian ginseng (p. 141). Gardner (2013) says to control diabetes and it has been duplicated in studies (p. 608). Natural Medicine Database (2019) says internal and external infections, arthritis, wound healing, fever, tuberculosis, stomach trouble, cough, cold, sore throat, diabetes, hypoglycemia, pneumonia, swollen glands, boils, sores, burns, and skin infections.
Formulary:
Dosage:
Natural Medicine Database (2019)
Dried root/stems: 1/3 – ½ glass – Fill 3-gallon pot with herb them cover with water. Boil for 3-4 hours.
1:2 fresh or 1:5 dried 60% Tincture: 15-30 drops 3/day
Cold Infusion: 1-3 fl 3/day
Safety: Gardner (2013) says the safety has not been assessed in pregnant and lactation women though the review didn’t identify anything immediately which would pose an issue. There were also no issues identified which would indicate potential reactions (p. 608).
Lab, Notes And Media:
Research:
References
Gardner, Z. & McGuffin, M. (2013). American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, Fl: CRC Press. p. 608-9.
Griffin, J. (1997). Mother Nature’s Herbal: A Complete Guide for Experiencing the Beauty, Knowledge, & Synergy of Everything that Grows. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications. p. 140-41.
Natural Medicine Database. (2020). Devil’s Club. Retrieved from https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs-supplements/professional.aspx?productid=732
Appendix II: Constituents
Alpha-cubebene (Sesquiterpene):
Beta-sitosterol (Phytosterols), also seen as B-sitosterol, is in a lot of higher plants. It is essential in cell membranes. It seems to have antihyperlipoproteinemic activity. Ganora adds this constituent accounts for around 70% of phytosterols, which of course means sterols that are found in plants. (Hoffman, 2003, p. 84, 143; Ganora, 2009, p. 145).
Falcarindiol (Polyene, Polyacetylenes): is a dual inhibitor that falls under the category of diaryl heptanoids. This may have chemoprotective actions abs be cytotoxic to human cancer cells as well as potentially antifungal and antibacterial (Hoffman, 2003, p. 159; Ganora, 2009, p. 97).
Falcarinol (Polyene, Polyacetylenes): This may have chemoprotective actions abs be cytotoxic to human cancer cells as well as potentially antifungal and antibacterial (Ganora, 2009, p. 97).
Glycerides:
Lignans (Aglycones Glycosides): tend to have antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-viral, and antifeedant properties (Hoffman, 2003, p. 112-4, 143, 175; Petersen 2018, p. 169). It is an estrogen blocker (Ulbricht, 2010, 332).
Oleic Acid (Fixed Oils, monounsaturated fat, UFA) is a monounsaturated (Unsaturated Fatty Acid) fat. This is found in olive, canola, peanut, palm fruit, corn and cottonseed oils. It is also in other natural oils in minor amounts. Used in the diet, it reduces inflammation and the chances of getting some cancers. It is also cardio protective and helps the function of the immune system as well as reducing LDL cholesterol (Ganora, 2009, p. 64, 86, 87).
Oplopandiol (Polyene):
Oplopanone (Sesquiterpene):
Polyenes are antifungal agents, also called antimycotic (Ganora, 2009, p. 97).
Saponin can be antifertility, antihepatoxic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, capillary strengthening, cytotoxic, antitumor, insecticidal, antifeedant, molluscicidal, piscicidal, and plant growth inhibitors. These are listed under the heading "General Properties of Steroidal Saponins" (Hoffman, 2003, p. 81).
Sesquiterpenes (in volatile oil): Constituents are often classified based on structure and this particular one makes that hard... There are over 200 structure types. The 3 main structures are acyclic, monocytclic, and bicyclic. Some of these act as pheromones for communication between plants. Some provide a defensive role (Hoffman, 2003, p. 67).
Spathulenol (Sesquiterpene):
Stearic Acid (Lipid) is a straight-chain acid that is also called n-octadecanoic (Hoffman, 2003, p. 55; Ganora, 2009, p. 64, 86, 93).
Stigmasterol (Phytosterols), found in higher plants, is vital in the structure of cell membranes (Hoffman, 2003, p. 84, 143; Ganora, 2009, p. 69, 145).
Tannins (Polyphenols) can damper some of the harsher effects of some constituents but excessive use of them can cause certain cancers. In lab studies, they can inhibit fungi, yeast, bacteria and viruses. They do inhibit some other cancers and are antioxidants. There are different kinds of tannins so the risks vary. They are present in plants to protect them in various ways, depending on location (Hoffman, 2003, p. 114-117, 201).
Trans-nerolidol (Sesquiterpene):
Unsaturated Fatty Acid are fatty acids that contain carbon-carbon double bonds. Ganora breaks these down into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (Hoffman, 2003, p. 54; Ganora, 2009, p. 64).
Alpha-cubebene (Sesquiterpene):
Beta-sitosterol (Phytosterols), also seen as B-sitosterol, is in a lot of higher plants. It is essential in cell membranes. It seems to have antihyperlipoproteinemic activity. Ganora adds this constituent accounts for around 70% of phytosterols, which of course means sterols that are found in plants. (Hoffman, 2003, p. 84, 143; Ganora, 2009, p. 145).
Falcarindiol (Polyene, Polyacetylenes): is a dual inhibitor that falls under the category of diaryl heptanoids. This may have chemoprotective actions abs be cytotoxic to human cancer cells as well as potentially antifungal and antibacterial (Hoffman, 2003, p. 159; Ganora, 2009, p. 97).
Falcarinol (Polyene, Polyacetylenes): This may have chemoprotective actions abs be cytotoxic to human cancer cells as well as potentially antifungal and antibacterial (Ganora, 2009, p. 97).
Glycerides:
Lignans (Aglycones Glycosides): tend to have antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-viral, and antifeedant properties (Hoffman, 2003, p. 112-4, 143, 175; Petersen 2018, p. 169). It is an estrogen blocker (Ulbricht, 2010, 332).
Oleic Acid (Fixed Oils, monounsaturated fat, UFA) is a monounsaturated (Unsaturated Fatty Acid) fat. This is found in olive, canola, peanut, palm fruit, corn and cottonseed oils. It is also in other natural oils in minor amounts. Used in the diet, it reduces inflammation and the chances of getting some cancers. It is also cardio protective and helps the function of the immune system as well as reducing LDL cholesterol (Ganora, 2009, p. 64, 86, 87).
Oplopandiol (Polyene):
Oplopanone (Sesquiterpene):
Polyenes are antifungal agents, also called antimycotic (Ganora, 2009, p. 97).
Saponin can be antifertility, antihepatoxic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, capillary strengthening, cytotoxic, antitumor, insecticidal, antifeedant, molluscicidal, piscicidal, and plant growth inhibitors. These are listed under the heading "General Properties of Steroidal Saponins" (Hoffman, 2003, p. 81).
Sesquiterpenes (in volatile oil): Constituents are often classified based on structure and this particular one makes that hard... There are over 200 structure types. The 3 main structures are acyclic, monocytclic, and bicyclic. Some of these act as pheromones for communication between plants. Some provide a defensive role (Hoffman, 2003, p. 67).
Spathulenol (Sesquiterpene):
Stearic Acid (Lipid) is a straight-chain acid that is also called n-octadecanoic (Hoffman, 2003, p. 55; Ganora, 2009, p. 64, 86, 93).
Stigmasterol (Phytosterols), found in higher plants, is vital in the structure of cell membranes (Hoffman, 2003, p. 84, 143; Ganora, 2009, p. 69, 145).
Tannins (Polyphenols) can damper some of the harsher effects of some constituents but excessive use of them can cause certain cancers. In lab studies, they can inhibit fungi, yeast, bacteria and viruses. They do inhibit some other cancers and are antioxidants. There are different kinds of tannins so the risks vary. They are present in plants to protect them in various ways, depending on location (Hoffman, 2003, p. 114-117, 201).
Trans-nerolidol (Sesquiterpene):
Unsaturated Fatty Acid are fatty acids that contain carbon-carbon double bonds. Ganora breaks these down into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (Hoffman, 2003, p. 54; Ganora, 2009, p. 64).
Appendix II: Therapeutic Actions
Anti-bacterial means it kills bacteria, generally associated with infections.
Anticancer means it fights the spread of cancer. Also seen as anticarcinogenic.
Emetic means it causes nausea and vomiting.
Purgatives: irritants and weaken the digestive system, tone the bowel system with prolonged use (Griffin, 1997, p. 11). Obviously, these are great for those rare occasions when vomiting is a needed action.
Anti-bacterial means it kills bacteria, generally associated with infections.
Anticancer means it fights the spread of cancer. Also seen as anticarcinogenic.
Emetic means it causes nausea and vomiting.
Purgatives: irritants and weaken the digestive system, tone the bowel system with prolonged use (Griffin, 1997, p. 11). Obviously, these are great for those rare occasions when vomiting is a needed action.
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