Poinsettia

Scientific Name(s): Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch
Common Name(s): Christmas flower, Christmas star, Easter flower, Lobster flower plant, Mexican flame leaf, Noch Buena, Papagallo, Poinsettia, Star of Bethlehem

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 22, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Poinsettias are used primarily as Christmas ornamentation but have been used traditionally to treat skin conditions, warts, and toothaches; however, clinical studies are lacking to support these uses.

Dosing

No recent clinical evidence exists to support specific dosing of poinsettia in a therapeutic context.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Allergy and contact dermatitis have been reported. Minor GI irritation following ingestion is possible requiring only supportive therapy.

Toxicology

Although many published reports have warned of the plant's toxicity, there is little clinical evidence to support this claim.

Scientific Family

• Euphorbiaceae (spurge)

Botany

Poinsettia belongs to the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family, which includes more than 1,000 herbs, shrubs, and trees. Many members of this family, including poinsettia, are characterized by the presence of a milky latex emulsion found in the lactiferous vessels. When damaged, the plants secrete this latex. Poinsettia is a perennial ornamental found throughout warmer climates in the United States and Mexico. The plant has small yellow flowers and red leaves (bracts), which are prized for their decorative effect. The plant has also been referred to as Euphorbia poinsettia Buist and Poinsettia pulcherrima Graham.Trejo 2012, USDA 2015

History

The poinsettia plant was brought from Mexico to the United States by Joel Robert Poinsett, a physician, botanist, and US diplomat, in the early 1800s.Trejo 2012 E. pulcherrima sap has been used as a depilatory agent, and extracts of the plant were used traditionally as an antipyretic and to stimulate lactation.Duke 1992, Winek 1978 Poinsettia has also been used as a natural remedy for warts and toothaches, although the plant is now primarily used for decorative purposes.Duke 1992, Trejo 2012

Chemistry

The stems and leaves may contain small amounts of alkaloids; however, there are conflicting data regarding the presence of these compounds. The latex or milky sap contains aminobutyric acids, cycloartenol, and pseudotaraxasterol.Duke 1992 Although saponic glycosides and diterpene esters from the sap are often believed to be toxic, there is little evidence of the plant's toxicity.Cortinovis 2013, Petersen 2011 Compounds found in the leaves and stems include germanicol, beta-amyrin, pulcherol, octaeicosanol, beta-sitosterol, rubber, caffeic acid, and anthocyanin.Duke 1992 Chemical constituents of the flowers and fruit have also been described.Duke 1992, Gupta 1983

Uses and Pharmacology

Animal data

Crude E. pulcherrima extract exhibited some antiviral activity; however, further fractionation resulted in loss of this effect.Forero 2008

Molluscicidal activity against fresh water snails has been demonstrated with aqueous po...