Devil's Club

Scientific Name(s): Oplopanax horridus (Sm.) Miq.
Common Name(s): Cukilanarpak (native Alaskan for "large plant with needles"), Devil's club

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 17, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Devil's club has been traditionally used to treat a variety of conditions including influenza, measles, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and rheumatism. Research focuses on antimicrobial, anticancer, and hypoglycemic applications; however, there is a lack of clinical studies to support these uses.

Dosing

None well documented.

Contraindications

None well documented.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Use is best avoided because of lack of clinical studies.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

None well documented.

Toxicology

Review of the scientific literature reveals little to no evidence evaluating the toxicology of the plant, although the berries are considered to be toxic by some. Traditional use as a purgative and emetic suggests potential toxicity.

Scientific Family

• Araliaceae (the ginseng family)

Botany

This hardy plant grows in moist ravines and well-drained soils along much of the Alaskan coast and adjacent regions of Canada and the northwestern United States; it can be found up to 100 miles inland, forming nearly impenetrable thickets. The plants attain heights of 5 m, and the densely thorned stem can reach 3 cm in diameter. Greenish-white flowers appear in June, producing scarlet berries in late summer. Devil's club is also referred to as Panax horridum Sm., Echinopanax horridum (Sm.) Decne. & Planch., Fatsia horrida (Sm.) Benth. & Hook. Synonyms include Echinopanax horridus and Fatsia horrida.Smith 1983, USDA 2016 This species is not to be confused with Devil’s claw (Harpagophytum procumbens).

History

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

Chemistry

Four known sesquiterpenes have been identified: alpha-cubebene, trans-nerolidol, spathulenol, and oplopanone. Ligna...