Devil's Club

Generic name: Oplopanax Horridus (Sm.) Miq.
Brand names: Cukilanarpak (native Alaskan For "large Plant With Needles"), Devil's Club

Usage of Devil's Club

Anti-infective activity

A screening of a methanol extract from 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 and in vitro data

A number 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) Polyacetylenes with a terminal double bond, such as 9,17-octadecadiene-12,14-diyne-1,11,16-triol,1-acetate, are potent inhibitors of pancreatic cancer cell proliferation.(Cheung 2019) The potential structural activity relationship of polyynes on anticancer effects is often highlighted.(Wu 2018)

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. However, further investigations were unable to verify this 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 in which 2 patients were 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)

Other uses

Leaf extracts contain gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid and maltol. These findings suggest that the leaf extract could be utilized as a functional food material because of its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities.(Jang 2017)

Devil's Club side effects

None well documented. The spiny covering of the stem can cause painful irritation and scratches upon contact. A case report exists of a collapsed anterior chamber consequent to ocular injury by the plant thorn.Mader 2008

Before taking Devil's Club

Use is best avoided because of a lack of clinical studies. The dried roots and stalk have been reported to inhibit the effects of pregnant mare serum on the growth of ovaries from a white rat. The ovaries of control rats weighed more than 8 times those of test animals that received the serum together with 40 mg of dried plant per dose.(Graham 1955)

How to use Devil's Club

None well documented.

Warnings

Although no cases of significant toxicity have been reported, several points should be kept in mind regarding devil's club. The use of devil's club extract as an emetic and purgative are reflective of potential toxicity from the use of the plant.

What other drugs will affect Devil's Club

None well documented. Although the hypoglycemic effect has not been confirmed, the continued traditional use of this plant for the management of diabetes suggests that some individuals may be sensitive to the hypoglycemic effects of devil's club and should use the plant with caution.Calway 2012

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