American Mandrake - The Herb

General description and domicile:
The American Mandrake is native to North America where it grows in moist ground in the north (including Canada) and the eastern states.
It is a perennial herb with profuse tubers or rhizomes which spreads out an extensive root network from which small slender shrubs shoot up. The large smooth leaves forming in umbrella like pairs are shaped like a duck's foot. In fact, the Latin name Podophyllum is a combination of foot (podo) and leaf (phyllum).
It has a foul smelling flower which blooms in May, giving way to an acorn sized yellow fruit that is fleshy. The fruit is the least poisonous part of this plant.
 

Remedy Profile
Major therapeutic effects:
The resin is made into an ointment for the treatment of venereal warts. This must be applied with care as it is an irritant and caustic.
It used to be taken as a hepatic and gastro stimulant, i.e. a liver and gastric tonic. This practice has been discontinued not because of a lack of efficacy but purely that overdose has caused several fatalities, reminding us yet again that there is often a very fine line between therapeutic and fatal dosage of many medicines.
Even the external application of this herb is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. The prime constituent - podophyllin - is cytotoxic.

Minor therapeutic effects:
Derivatives of podophyllin are used for the treatment of some cancers and there is also evidence that the use of this herb may inhibit some cancers BUT there is equally evidence that it inhibits tumor necrosis factor, a natural body protein that has anticancer effects. On balance it certainly appears that we cannot regard American Mandrake as any help in the management of cancer.

This herb is toxic in all but small doses. As there are many other herbs that have the same beneficial effect without the risk of overdose fatalities, or even scarring from topical applications, it is not recommended for use.

How to choose the right remedy/Herb:
In many cases there are several herbal remedies to choose from. This can be very confusing. Our Choose the Herbal Remedy page explains how to refine your choice

Part used:
The dried rhizome or a resin extracted from the rhizome.
 

Remedy preparation:
Powdered root, infusion, decoction and tincture. It is also available as a resin or a paint.
 

History:
This herb was used by the Native Americans as a Vermifuge, purgative and emetic and this use was adopted by early settlers from Euroe.
Podophyllum was used extensively for liver and gastric conditions as little as 100 years ago, when it was regarded as a wonder herb. It was also used as an emetic and purgative, which was sailing rather close to the wind seeing that it required larger doses to achieve this outcome and a tad too much is fatal.
 

Used for treatment of:
Venereal warts

Boils

Psoriases

Properties:
Cathartic
Emetic
Purgative
Cholagogue
Hepatic
Antitumor
Antiviral
Vermifuge

Constituents:

Podophyllin:

The resin obtained from the rhizome of Podophyllum Peltatum, commonly known as American Mandrake.

Padophyllin contains the lignans Podophyllotoxin and Peltatin.

Padophyllin is bitter and a severe skin irritant being very caustic, specifically to mucous membrane. It has been used topically for warts, boils and venereal warts. It has some use against cancerous conditions in that it inhibits cell divisions. Because of its extreme side effects , which include cathartic diarrhea and the potential for fatality if overdosed it is hardly used in modern medicine

Flavonoids: Flavonoids occur (as white and yellow plant pigments found almost as commonly as chlorophyll) as Glycosides or in a free state. In plants it is essential for protecting plant tissue from UV radiation and acts as antioxidants. As pigments it is also responsible for Autumn colors in leaves and yellow/red pigmentation in flowers.

Laboratory experiments have been conducted on the beneficiary effect of Flavonoids on the heart and circulatory system. Flavonoids are also used to mitigate stress, especially environmental stress. Flavonoids are often used for their antioxidant effect against free radicals. There are also strong indications that they have antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive properties but dosage has not been determined which will obviously have a profound effect on their efficacy as a component of this herb.

Gum: Long chain polysaccharides that become mucus like when mixed with water.

Gum is a protective substance stored by many plants used to protect sites where the bark has been damaged. Gums form a barier (instead of the bark) to protect the cambium layer which is responsible for the growth and repair of structural parts of the plant. This is often seen as a gummy exudate produced by many plants when the bark is damaged.

Resins: Brittle, often transparent substances secreted by plants in response to damage to the plant.  Insoluble in water but soluble in alcohol and non volatile oils, Resins are used in incense because of the high amount of smoke accompanied when burning them. Unless the resin is broken up further into various constituents it is difficult to asses the value or properties of a particular resin.