Naming |
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| Botanical Name: | Oplopanax horridus (Sm.) Miq. |
| Common Names: | Cukilanarpak (native Alaskan for ''large plant with needles''), Devil's club Panax horridum Sm., Echinopanax horridum (Sm.) Decne. & Planch., Fatsia horrida (Sm.) |
| Key Name: | Devil's club |
| Parts Used: | Bark of the underground runners. Bark of stem can be used. |
| Sister Plants: | |
| Comments: | references to check Bloxton J, DerMarderosian A, Gibbs R. Bioactive constituents of Alaskan devil's root (Oplopanax horridus, Araliaceae). Economic Botany. [2002];[56]:[285]-[287]. Calway T, Du GJ, Wang CZ, et al. Chemical and pharmacological studies of Oplopanax horridus, a North American botanical. J Nat Med. [2012];[66]([2]):[249]-[256].[22101399] Graham RC, Noble RL. Comparison of in vitro activity of various species of Lithospermum and other plants to inactivate gonadotrophin. Endocrinology. [1955];[56]([3]):[239].[14353034] Huang WH, Shao L, Wang CZ, Yuan CS, Zhou HH. Anticancer activities of polyynes from the root bark of Oplopanax horridus and their acetylated derivatives. Molecules. [2014];[19]([5]):[6142]-[6162].[24830715] Huang WH, Zhang QW, Wang CZ, Yuan CS, Li SP. Phenolic derivatives from the root bark of Oplopanax horridus. Helv Chim Acta. [2015];[98]([2]):[201]-[209].[27284207] Huang WH, Zhang QW, Yuan CS, Wang CZ, Li SP, Zhou HH. Chemical constituents of the plants from the genus Oplopanax. Chem Biodivers. [2014];[11]([2]):[181]-[196].[24591310] Jin HR, Liao Y, Li X, et al. Anticancer compound Oplopantriol A kills cancer cells through inducing ER stress and BH3 proteins Bim and Noxa. Cell Death Dis. [2014];[5]:e1190.[24763047] Kobaisy M, Abramowski Z, Lermer L, et al. Antimycobacterial polyyenes of Devil's club (Oplopanax horridus), a North American native medicinal plant. J Nat Prod. [1997];[60]([11]):[1210]-[1213].[9392889] Large RG, Brocklesby HN. A hypoglycemic substance from the roots of devil's club. Can Med J Assoc. [1938];[39]([1]):[32]-[35].[20321017] Li XL, Sun S, Du GJ, et al. Effects of Oplopanax horridus on human colorectal cancer cells. Anticancer Res. [2010];[30]([2]):[295]-[302].[20332432] Mader TH, Werner RP, Chamberlain DG. Corneal perforation and delayed anterior chamber collapse from a devil's club thorn. Cornea. [2008];[27]([8]):[961]-[962].[18724165] McCutcheon AR, Roberts TE, Gibbons E, et al. Antiviral screening of British Columbian medicinal plants. J Ethnopharmacol. [1995];[49]:[101]-[110].[8847882] McCutcheon AR, Stokes R, Thorson L, Ellis S, Hancock R, Towers G. Antimycobacterial screenings of British Columbian medicinal plants. Int J Pharmacognosy. [1997];[35]:[77]-[83]. McGill CM, Alba-Rodriguez EJ, Li S, et al. Extracts of Devil's club (Oplopanax horridus) exert therapeutic efficacy in experimental models of acute myeloid leukemia. Phytother Res. [2014];[28]([9]):[1308]-[1134].[25340187] Meng LZ, Huang WH, Wang CZ, Yuan CS, Li SP. Correction: Huang, W.-H., et al. Anticancer activities of polyynes from the root bark of Oplopanax horridus and their acetylated derivatives. Molecules. [2015];[20]([4]):[5438]-[5439].[25822082] Oplopanax horridus. USDA, NRCS. [2016]. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, December [2016]). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC [27401]-[4901] USA. Piccoli LJ, Spinapolice BS, Hecht M. A pharmacologic study of devil's club root. J Am Pharm Assoc. [1940];[29]:[11]. Qiu F, Cai G, Jaki BU, Lankin DC, Franzblau SG, Pauli GF. Quantitative purity-activity relationships of natural products: the case of anti-tuberculosis active triterpenes from Oplopanax horridus. J Nat Prod. [2013];[76]([3]):[413]-[419].[23356207] Russell PN. English Bay and Port Graham Alutiq Plantlore. Homer, AK: Pratt Museum, [1991]. Smith GW. Arctic pharmacognosia II. Devil's club, Oplopanax horridus. J Ethnopharmacol. [1983];[7]:[313]-[320].[6876853] Stuhr ET, Henry FB. An investigation of the root bark of Fatsia horrida. Pharmaceutical Arch. [1944];[15]:[9]. Sun S, Du GJ, Qi LW, Williams S, Wang CZ, Yuan CS. Hydrophobic constituents and their potential anticancer activities from Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridus Miq.). J Ethnopharmacol. [2010];[132]([1]):[280]-[285].[20723598] Tai J, Cheung SS, Ou D, Warnock GL, Hasman D. Antiproliferation activity of Devil's club (Oplopanax horridus) and anticancer agents on human pancreatic cancer multicellular spheroids. Phytomedicine. [2014];[21]([4]):[506]-[514].[24215675] Wang CZ, Aung HH, Mehendale SR, Shoyama Y, Yuan CS. High performance liquid chromatographic analysis and anticancer potential of Oplopanax horridus: comparison of stem and berry extracts. Fitoterapia. [2010];[81]([2]):[132]-[139].[19686820] Wang CZ, Zhang Z, Huang WH, et al. Identification of potential anticancer compounds from Oplopanax horridus. Phytomedicine. [2013];[20]([11]):[999]-[1006].[23746754] Zhang Z, Yu C, Zhang CF, et al. Chemopreventive effects of oplopantriol A, a novel compound isolated from Oplopanax horridus, on colorectal cancer. Nutrients. [2014];[6]([7]):[2668]-[2680].[25045937] |
Characteristics |
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| Identifying Character: | |
| Stem: | 5 m densely thorned stem can reach 3 cm in diameter. |
| Leaves: | Large, oblong, shiny, variegated and very spiny, sessile or clasping. |
| Flowers: | Greenish-white appear in June, |
| Fruit: | scarlet berries in late summer |
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| Root: | |
| Image: |
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Distribution |
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| Distribution: | This hardy plant grows in moist ravines and well-drained soils along much of the Alaskan coast and a |
| Cultivation: | Wild Plant |
| Harvest: | Harvest the runners between plant |
Medical |
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| Therapeutic Action: | Phrenic,Phrenic |
| Medical Uses: | This plant has a long tradition of use by the native tribes of Alaska and British Columbia for centuries and other populations in the Northwestern regions of the United States and Canada. The plant has been used internally by drinking an aqueous extract of the root or stem bark for treatment of respiratory ailments (eg, cold, cough, sore throat, chest pain, tuberculosis) and GI complaints (eg, stomach pain, ulcers, gallstones, indigestion, constipation).Bloxton [2002], Russell [1991], Smith [1983] Externally the prickly outer bark sometimes is scraped from the stem, leaving the cambium for use in the preparation of decoctions and poultices; however, others use both the cambium and stem together. Poultices were applied to sores and wounds to prevent or reduce swelling and infection. The cambium sometimes is softened by chewing prior to being placed on a cut or burn as an emergency analgesic and local antiseptic. In many cultures, the plant is believed to possess ''magical'' powers that impart great strength.Bloxton [2002], Russell [1991], Smith [1983] Ethnobotanic data indicate that the extracts of the inner bark appear to have antipyretic, antitussive, antibacterial, and hypoglycemic properties. The plant has been used internally to treat a variety of conditions including influenza, measles, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and rheumatism. Devil's club has been used as a purgative, emetic, and cathartic in higher doses.Bloxton [2002], McCutcheon [1995], Smith [1983] Anti-infective activity A recent screening of a methanol extract of the inner bark of O. horridus showed partial inhibition against the respiratory syncytial virus. Previous screenings of O. horridus extracts exhibited antimicrobial and antifungal activities. The polyynes of the plant exhibited anti-Candida activity; and, in a disk diffusion assay, antimycobacterial activity, by killing Mycobacterium tuberculosis and isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium avium at [10] mcg/disk.Calway [2012], Kobaisy [1997], McCutcheon [1997], Qiu [2013] Cancer Animal data A limited pool of researchers have reported on the effect of extracts of Oplopanax horridus and related species on a range of human cancer cell lines and tumors.Jin [2014], Li [2010], McGill [2014], Meng [2015], Sun [2010], Tai [2014], Wang [2013], Zhang [2014] Hypoglycemic activity Animal data Several animal investigations were conducted in the 1930s and 1940s in an attempt to characterize the pharmacologic activity associated with the traditional uses of devil's club. Following reports that patients with diabetes could be managed successfully using water extracts of the root bark, animal-based investigations suggested that the extract had hypoglycemic activity in the hare and that the plant was not associated with toxicity. Further investigations were unable to verify the hypoglycemic effect in rabbits.Large1938, Piccoli [1940], Stuhr [1944] Clinical data No pharmacologically active component could be identified in the plant. A report of a case study of two patients given extracts of the plant in conjunction with a glucose tolerance test found no hypoglycemic effects that could be attributed to devil's club.Calway [2012], Smith [1983], Stuhr [1944] |
| Constituents: | Four known sesquiterpenes have been identified: alpha-cubebene, trans-nerolidol, spathulenol, and oplopanone. Lignan [1],[3] benzodioxole, [5],[5]???????-tetrahydro-1H,3H-furo[[3],[4]-c]furan-[1],[4]-diyl)bis, stearic acid, stigmasterol, and beta-sitosterol also have been identified. Trans-nerolidol is the major constituent in the root bark. One study documents the absence of alkaloids and gallic acid, and the presence of oleic and unsaturated fatty acids, saponins, glycerides, and tannins. An ether extract of the root yielded [2] oils, equinopanacene (a sesquiterpene) and equinopanacol (a sesquiterpene alcohol). Oplopanone has antipyretic and antitussive activity. Stigmasterol and ????-sitosterol are associated with antirheumatic and anticholesteremic activity.Bloxton [2002], Calway [2012], Huang [2015], Huang [2014], Huang [2014], Sun [2010], Wang [2010], Wang [2013] |
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| Preparation: | Infusion,Poultice Powder,Tincture |
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Pollination and Pollinators |
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| Apis: | No |
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| Pollen: | No |
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| Nectar: | No |
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Other |
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| History: | |
| Reference: | drugs.com |
| URL: | |
| Share: | Public |
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