Podophyllum peltatum
May apple
Podophyllum peltatum, commonly known as Mayapple, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to North American woodlands. Renowned for its large, umbrella-like leaves and yellow flowers, it contains potent alkaloids like podophyllotoxin. While historically used in traditional medicine, its extreme toxicity requires careful handling and professional pharmaceutical application.
- Scientific name: Podophyllum peltatum
- Family: Berberidaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Ranunculales, it is classified under the family Berberidaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Podophyllum.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ranunculales | WCVP |
| Family | Berberidaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Podophyllum | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Podophyllum peltatum, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In German, it is called Schildförmiges Fußblatt, while in Switzerland, the spelling is adapted as Schildförmiges Fussblatt. Its names in other languages include ポドフィルム in Japanese, Stopkowiec tarczowaty in Polish, and Podophylle pelté in French.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| de | Schildförmiges Fußblatt | Wikidata |
| de-ch | Schildförmiges Fussblatt | Wikidata |
| ja | ポドフィルム | Wikidata |
| pl | Stopkowiec tarczowaty | Wikidata |
| fr | Podophylle pelté | Wikidata |
| ne | लघुपत्र | Wikidata |
| ru | Подофилл щитовидный | Wikidata |
| az | Qalxanabənzər podofil | Wikidata |
| ca | Podofil | Wikidata |
| tl | Podopil | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning across North America and Europe. In North America, it is commonly found throughout Eastern Canada, specifically within the provinces of Ontario and Québec. Its presence extends into the North-Central United States, where it grows in states such as Illinois and Iowa. Beyond the American continent, the species can also be located in Middle Europe, particularly in Germany. This wide range demonstrates the plant's ability to adapt to various temperate environments across different hemispheres.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Eastern Canada | Ontario | WCVP |
| Eastern Canada | Québec | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Illinois | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Iowa | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Kansas | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Minnesota | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Missouri | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Nebraska | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Oklahoma | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as Mayapple, possesses a unique underground structure consisting of a thick, fleshy rhizome. This rhizome serves as the primary storage organ for the plant's nutrients and contains high concentrations of podophyllotoxin, the active medicinal compound. From this central rhizome, the plant develops its robust roots, which anchor the organism into the soil and assist in the uptake of water and essential minerals necessary for its growth.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rhizome | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Podophyllum peltatum has 17 reported phytochemicals identified across 26 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include podophyllotoxin, (-)-matairesinol, etoposide, (+)-lariciresinol, (+)-pinoresinol.
- Total chemicals
- 17
- Scientific sources
- 26
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| podophyllotoxin | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| (-)-matairesinol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| etoposide | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (+)-lariciresinol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (+)-pinoresinol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-pluviatolide | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-podophyllotoxin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-secoisolariciresinol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-methoxypodophyllotoxin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 7'-hydroxymatairesinol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Podophyllum peltatum has 3 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antiviral, Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Podophyllum peltatum has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, antiviral, breast cancer, cancers, measles.
- Total uses
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| breast cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| measles | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| venereal wart | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| warts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |