Bryonia alba
White bryony
Bryonia alba, commonly known as White Bryony, is a climbing herbaceous vine native to Europe and parts of Asia. Renowned in traditional herbalism, this plant contains potent alkaloids. While historically used for treating inflammatory conditions and digestive issues, it must be handled with extreme caution due to its toxicity.
- Scientific name: Bryonia alba
- Family: Cucurbitaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified within the order Cucurbitales and the family Cucurbitaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Bryonia, which includes the specific species Bryonia alba.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Cucurbitales | WCVP |
| Family | Cucurbitaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Bryonia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Bryonia alba, is recognized by various regional names across different languages. In Poland, it is called Przestęp biały, while in Ukraine, it is referred to as Переступень білий, and in Russia, its name is Переступень белый. In the Baltic and Nordic regions, it is known as Baltā sētvija in Latvia and mustakoiranköynnös in Finland.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| pl | Przestęp biały | Wikidata |
| ru | Переступень белый | Wikidata |
| fi | mustakoiranköynnös | Wikidata |
| uk | Переступень білий | Wikidata |
| lv | Baltā sētvija | Wikidata |
| de | Weiße Zaunrübe | Wikidata |
| de-ch | Weisse Zaunrübe | Wikidata |
| cs | posed bílý | Wikidata |
| az | Ağ küstüşam | Wikidata |
| hsb | Běła poćel | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known as Bryonia alba, exhibits a specific distribution across the northern regions of Europe. In the westernmost part of this range, it can be found growing in the landscape of Ireland. Moving toward Scandinavia, the species is well-established throughout Denmark. It also maintains a presence across the vast territories of Sweden and Norway. Finally, the geographical reach of this medicinal plant extends further east into Finland.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Poland | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Bryonia alba, is characterized by its distinct morphological structures, though it is often studied in conjunction with its relatives in the Cucurbitaceae family. While the therapeutic properties are often associated with the entire organism, specific focus is frequently placed on the roots. In many botanical discussions, comparisons are made to the roots of Bryonia dioica to distinguish between species, as both possess potent bioactive compounds. Ultimately, the medicinal efficacy of the species is heavily dependent on the chemical composition found within the root, which serves as a primary source for its pharmacological applications.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 6
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| roots of Bryonia dioica | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Bryonia alba has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include NO, cortisol, flavonoids, isoorientin, isovitexin.
- Total chemicals
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| NO | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cortisol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| isoorientin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| isovitexin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lutonarin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| saponarin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Bryonia alba has 7 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Adaptogen, Adaptogenic, Antiangiogenic, Anticancer, Antiinflammatory.
- Total activities
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptogen | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Adaptogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiangiogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiinflammatory | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Tonic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Bryonia alba has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include AIDS, alloxan diabetes, cancer, epilepsy.
- Total uses
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| AIDS | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| alloxan diabetes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| epilepsy | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |