Oplopanax horridus
Devil's club
Oplopanax horridus, commonly known as Devil's Club, is a formidable medicinal shrub native to the Pacific Northwest. Revered by Indigenous cultures, this thorny plant offers profound therapeutic potential. Traditionally used to treat respiratory ailments, skin conditions, and digestive issues, it remains a vital symbol of forest ecology and healing.
- Scientific name: Oplopanax horridus
- Family: Araliaceae
- Native range: Northern America
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Apiales, it is classified under the family Araliaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is placed within the genus Oplopanax.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Apiales | WCVP |
| Family | Araliaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Oplopanax | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Oplopanax horridus, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In German, it is called Igelkraftwurz, while in Danish, it is known as Tornpanax. French speakers call it bois piquant, and in Poland, it is identified as Kolcosił straszliwy. Finally, in Swedish, the plant is known as djävulsklubba.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| de | Igelkraftwurz | Wikidata |
| da | Tornpanax | Wikidata |
| fr | bois piquant | Wikidata |
| pl | Kolcosił straszliwy | Wikidata |
| sv | djävulsklubba | Wikidata |
| ru | Заманиха ощетиненная | Wikidata |
| fi | pirunnuija | Wikidata |
| ja | デビルス・クラブ | Wikidata |
| is | Þyrnistokkur | Wikidata |
| en | devil's club | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad distribution across the northern reaches of North America. Within the Subarctic American region, it can be found growing in both Alaska and the Yukon. Its presence extends into Western Canada, specifically throughout the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Additionally, the species is documented in the eastern part of the country within Ontario. These diverse locations highlight its ability to thrive across various Canadian and Alaskan landscapes.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Subarctic America | Alaska | WCVP |
| Subarctic America | Yukon | WCVP |
| Western Canada | Alberta | WCVP |
| Western Canada | British Columbia | WCVP |
| Eastern Canada | Ontario | WCVP |
| Northwestern U.S.A. | Idaho | WCVP |
| Northwestern U.S.A. | Montana | WCVP |
| Northwestern U.S.A. | Oregon | WCVP |
| Northwestern U.S.A. | Washington | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | Michigan | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Opoplanax horridus, is valued in traditional medicine for various therapeutic applications derived from its specific anatomical structures. The medicinal properties are primarily concentrated within the root bark and the inner stem bark, which contain essential bioactive compounds. Depending on the preparation method, practitioners may utilize the raw inner bark or processed root barks to extract healing elements. For more standardized or convenient administration, the plant is often processed into a fine dry root bark powder, ensuring that the concentrated essence of the species is easily accessible for medicinal use.- Total parts
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 6
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| root bark | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root barks | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inner stem bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inner bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dry root bark powder | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Oplopanax horridus has 13 reported phytochemicals identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include oplopandiol, falcarindiol, oplopandiol acetate, oplopantriol B, (3S,8S)-falcarindiol.
- Total chemicals
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 18
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| oplopandiol | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| falcarindiol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oplopandiol acetate | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oplopantriol B | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (3S,8S)-falcarindiol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| OH-1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neroplofurol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neroplomacrol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oplopantriol A | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polyacetylene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Oplopanax horridus has 4 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Oplopanax horridus has 14 reported medicinal uses identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, ovarian cancer, Candida, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, acute myeloid leukemia.
- Total uses
- 14
- Scientific sources
- 17
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| ovarian cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Candida | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| acute myeloid leukemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arthritis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| broken bones | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colon cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| common cold | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |