IngredientsDevil's club, also called Devil's walking stick, bears the scientific name Oplopanax horridus (Sm.) Miq. and belongs to the family Araliaceae. It is a large understory shrub native to the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest and also found disjunct on islands in Lake Superior. Scientific synonyms include Echinopanax horridum (or horridus), Fatsia horridum, Panax horridum, and Ricinophyllum horridum.
The genus name Oplopanax is derived from hoplon, meaning "weapon," and panakos, meaning panacea or "all-heal"—referring to the medicinal qualities of these shrubs and their relationship to the well-known Asian herb ginseng, Panax ginseng. Both the common name and the specific epithet horridus refer to its spiny, wicked-looking appearance. It is also known as Alaskan ginseng and similar names, although it is not a true ginseng. In Tlingit it is known as S'áxt'.
O. horridus is sometimes marketed as "wild armored Alaskan ginseng," "Alaskan ginseng," or "Pacific ginseng," but such marketing is now forbidden in the United States as misleading. Such marketing relies on the speculation that O. horridus shares similar chemical ingredients with herbs in Panax, but this presumption is not supported by phytochemical investigation.
Devil's club generally grows to 1 to 1.5 metres tall, while some stands located in rainforest gullies or moist, undisturbed areas can reach heights of 3 to 5 m or more. It is noted for its large palmate leaves and erect, woody stems covered in noxious and irritating spines. The spines are found along the upper and lower surfaces of veins of its leaves as well as the stems.
This shrub often grows in dense, nearly impenetrable thickets in moist, rich soil in coniferous woods, especially near streams, occurring from near sea level to subalpine elevations. Its range extends from Alaska southward along the coast to southern Oregon, eastward to the Rocky Mountains including parts of Idaho, Montana, and Alberta, and it also occurs in a small enclave in northern Michigan and the Thunder Bay district of Ontario.
The genus Oplopanax consists of only three species in North America and northeastern Asia. There is O. horridus in North America and Chinese Devil's Club (Oplopanax elatus), also known as 'Nakai,' native to China, Korea, and Russia.
Devil's club is a plant of which the inner bark of the root is the primary part used medicinally. Beyond current First Nations use, the herbal and dietary supplement industry offers commercial preparations of devil's club in the form of teas, tinctures, and capsules that are used to treat many of the same ailments; these supplements usually contain devil's club root bark as the main ingredient. Topical preparations such as poultices and salves have also been described in both traditional and modern contexts.
Oplopanax horridus is probably the most important ethnobotanical to most indigenous people living in the Pacific Northwest of North America. O. horridus has a long history of use for 34 different medical ailments by the Pacific indigenous peoples from over 38 linguistic groups.
For millennia, Indigenous Peoples of this region have administered the inner bark of the stalk and roots of devil's club to treat illness and disease, including difficult childbirth, skin infections, cancer, lung hemorrhages, tuberculosis, and diabetes.
Indigenous peoples such as the Tlingit and Haida have used the plant as traditional medicine for ailments such as adult-onset diabetes as well as rheumatoid arthritis. Many Pacific Northwest tribes, including the Bella Coola, Cowlitz, Gitksan, Nlaka'pamux, and others, have taken a decoction of bark and stems to treat rheumatism, arthritis, and influenza, and used it as a diuretic, tonic, eyewash for cataracts, and as a laxative.
Traditionally, the native tribes drink the aqueous decoction of the root or stem bark of O. horridus for treatments of colds, fever, burns, stomach trouble, body pains, sore throats, swollen glands, constipation, and tuberculosis. The inner bark of the root and stem has been used to stop infection on wounds and reduce swelling. The Alaska Natives from the Alaskan southeast coast, Cook Inlet, Kodiak, Kenai, Prince William Sound, and Tanana Valley use the inner bark of the root and stem to treat colds, cough, and fever.
An infusion of roots or the whole plant has been taken as a cold remedy, a tuberculosis remedy, and an ulcer treatment. A poultice of bark has been used as a boil and ulcer treatment, skin wash, and to treat wounds, diabetes, lung hemorrhage, and bronchitis. The root bark has been chewed as a purgative.
Among the Tlingit, the inner bark is mixed in a decoction with seal oil to induce vomiting, and the inner bark can also be chewed and applied to wounds as a topical pain reliever and as a blood purifier. Haida usage is perhaps the most widely documented; they use the berries on their hair to treat lice and dandruff, as well as to support general hair strength.
Vapors of the simmering inner bark were inhaled by some people to treat lung conditions, and sometimes a concoction of the bark or roots was mixed with other medicinal plants. The young spring buds have been eaten as a food source, boiled.
The Pacific native tribes also use O. horridus as a spiritual stimulant, while shamans use it in religious ceremonial practices. Different parts of O. horridus have been used for both spiritual and medical practices by the native tribes of Alaska and British Columbia for centuries. Believing that devil's club had magical powers, Northwest Coast Indians made charms from its wood and tied bits of bark onto fish hooks to increase the chances of a large catch.
The traditional preparations of O. horridus include either applying the heated inner bark to the wounded area and bandaging it, or chewing the root or stem bark and spitting the crude herb on the wound as an emergency analgesic and antiseptic. Decoctions, infusions, and poultices were the predominant preparation methods described in the ethnobotanical literature.
The main chemical constituents of O. horridus are polyynes (polyacetylenes), phenylpropanoids (aglycones and glycosides), lignan glycosides, triterpenoids, sesquiterpenes, and volatile compounds. Within the different structural skeletons of these groups, a variety of analogues are presented in the aerial and underground parts of the botanical.
Extensive investigation on the chemical constituents of O. horridus has led to the isolation and identification of compounds 1–47, which include polyynes (polyacetylenes), phenylpropanoids (aglycones and glycosides), lignan glycosides, triterpenoids, sesquiterpenes, and other compounds. Additionally, forty-eight volatile compounds were identified from the volatile oil by GC/MS.
Polyynes have been mostly reported with high contents in both the stem and the root of O. horridus as potential anticancer and antimycobacterial (antituberculosis) natural products. Five polyynes were isolated from O. horridus: falcarinol; falcarindiol; oplopandiol; oplopandiol acetate; and 9,17-octadecadiene-12,14-diyne-1,11,16-triol 1-acetate. Further study identified additional polyynes, including oplopantriol A and oplopantriol B.
Among these components, polyynes — specifically falcarindiol (FAD) and oplopantriol A (OPT) — have been most reported as potentially anticancer natural products from O. horridus.
All polyynes possess hydroxy groups in their structures, and two of them that occur naturally in acetylated form had weaker anti-proliferation effects. The primary hypothesis based on the anti-proliferation investigation of these polyynes is that acetylation has a negative contribution to their anticancer activities.
Phenylpropanoids and lignan glycosides are the other two main natural products from the genus Oplopanax. Five novel compounds have been described including two polyynes (oplopantriols A and B) and three phenolic glycosides (oplopanphesides A, B, and C).
Up to 32 triterpene glycosides were isolated from related species (O. elatus and O. japonicus); however, dammarane glycosides were not found in those species, and no triterpene glycosides were isolated and identified from O. horridus root, stem, or bark. Triterpenoid glycosides have been identified only in the leaves of O. horridus.
Based on GC/MS techniques, the composition of the essential oil of devil's club was studied, and (E)-nerolidol was found to be the major constituent in both the stems (54.5%) and the roots (54.6%).
Generally, the secondary metabolites in O. horridus are consistent with the patterns of chemical constituents from the genus Oplopanax and the family Araliaceae. However, the ginseng-associated dammarane ginsenosides (protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol) characteristic of Panax species are absent from O. horridus, distinguishing it chemically from true ginsengs.
Sesquiterpenes and steroids isolated from O. horridus did not show any antiproliferative effects at tested concentrations. Phenolic acids showed weak antiproliferative effects, while the six polyynes showed dose-dependent antiproliferative effects in human colorectal and breast cancer cells.
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.
Specifically, falcarindiol and oplopandiol were the main positive antimycobacterial components from the extract. All the obtained polyynes displayed potential ability to inhibit the proliferation of M. tuberculosis and M. avium at 10 μg/disk in a disk diffusion assay, as well as two Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus), two Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli DC2 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Z61), and the yeast Candida albicans. Among them, falcarindiol has been proved to possess the strongest antibacterial activities.
Evidence level: Preclinical only (in vitro and animal models); no human clinical trials.
The infusion of inner bark of O. horridus was described as a possible treatment for cancer by indigenous linguistic peoples including Alutiiq, Gitxsan, Haida, Tlingit, and Tsimshian. To date, O. horridus has not been reported to have anticancer effects on human bodies, and no human clinical studies have been conducted on this herb.
The extracts mainly containing polyynes from the root bark of O. horridus show anticancer effects on several colorectal, breast, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, and acute myeloid leukemia cancer cell lines and animal models. The different extracts from the root, stem, berry, root bark, and their fractions were investigated in vitro for their potential antiproliferative effects on human HCT-116, HT-29, and SW-480 colorectal cancer cell lines. The results showed that the stem, root, root bark extracts, and lipophilic fractions of root bark possessed potent antiproliferative effects.
A 70% ethanolic extract of dry root bark (OH extract) inhibited K562, HL60, MCF7, and MDA-MB-468 cell growth, with the 50% inhibition (IC50) estimated at 1/2700, 1/1700, 1/500, and 1/2500 dilutions, respectively. Non-cytotoxic concentrations of the OH extract combined with non-cytotoxic concentrations of camptothecin or paclitaxel were tested on tumor cell lines. Of the 19 combinations tested, 9 showed additive or synergistic anti-proliferative effects while the rest showed antagonistic effects.
One study evaluated the anti-proliferative effects of the extract of O. horridus root bark and its fractions on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. The role of O. horridus in cell cycle and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells was also investigated. The results showed that the 70% and 100% ethanol fractions demonstrated more potent anti-proliferative effects than the total extract on both cell lines. The IC50 of the total extract, 50%, 70%, and 100% ethanol fractions for anti-proliferation on MCF-7 cells were 248.4, 123.1, 44.0, and 31.5 μg/mL, respectively, and on NSCLC cells were 125.3, 271.1, 17.6, and 23.2 μg/mL, respectively.
In a systematic evaluation of 13 isolated compounds (including six polyynes, three sesquiterpenes, two steroids, and two phenolic acids, of which five were novel), researchers evaluated anticancer effects across a panel of human colorectal and breast cancer cells (MTS assay) and analyzed cell cycle distribution and apoptotic effects by flow cytometry. The in vivo antitumor effect was also examined using a xenograft tumor model.
All anticancer research on O. horridus to date remains at the preclinical stage. The absence of any controlled human trials means clinical efficacy cannot be established, and the evidence is insufficient to support therapeutic claims in humans.
Evidence level: In vitro only; no human clinical trials.
One hundred methanol plant extracts were screened for antibiotic activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium. Nineteen extracts exhibited some activity against M. tuberculosis and 16 showed some activity against M. avium. Thirteen of these 19 active extracts were traditionally used by First Nations peoples to treat tuberculosis. Extracts made from Oplopanax horridus (Araliaceae) inner bark completely inhibited the growth of both organisms at a concentration equivalent to 20 mg dried plant material/disc.
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.
The methanol extract of O. horridus inner bark was screened for antifungal activity against 9 fungal species, including Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Fusarium tricuictum, Microsporum cookei, Microsporum gypseum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trichoderma viridae, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The extract demonstrated antifungal activity against the tested fungal strains. No human trials have evaluated these antimicrobial activities.
Studies conducted on antiviral properties could not be confirmed in a subsequent clinical study (Smith, 1983), though McCutcheon has proven the extract to display antiviral effects against respiratory syncytial virus in vitro.
Evidence level: Very limited and mixed; two small human/clinical studies with negative or inconclusive results; preclinical evidence remains unvalidated in humans.
Devil's club is a popular medicinal plant used by Native Indian tribes in the Pacific Northwest. One reported indication for using this plant is in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Several physicians have reported patients with diabetes who were able to maintain normal blood glucose levels while taking devil's club preparations.
Thommasen et al. (1990) performed a pilot study in which blood glucose levels were carefully monitored in an insulin-dependent diabetic patient, a newly diagnosed non-insulin-dependent diabetic, and two healthy adults while they drank devil's club tea. The limited data did not show any hypoglycemic effect of devil's club tea.
This one tiny study (n=4) did not find a short-term hypoglycemic effect from drinking devil's club tea (approximately 80 ml, though no details on tea preparation were provided) in people with diabetes (Thommasen et al. 1990). Other older reports also did not find a hypoglycemic effect from devil's club (Stuhr and Henry, 1944; Piccoli et al., 1940). Modern, adequately-powered trials looking at various doses and dose forms, and using multiple outcome measures rather than just short-term serum glucose readings, are urgently needed.
There has been no research done as to the specific antidiabetic constituents in devil's club. The antidiabetic tradition predates the twentieth century, and the 1938 report by Large and Brocklesby identified what they described as a hypoglycemic substance in the roots. The specific active compound(s) responsible, if any, remain uncharacterized.
Evidence level: Preclinical only; no controlled human trials.
Pharmacological studies showed that O. horridus possessed anticancer, antibacterial, antidiabetes, antipsoriasis, antiarthritis, and antifungal and anticonvulsant activities. However, these findings are all from in vitro or animal models. No controlled human trials have evaluated anti-inflammatory or antirheumatic outcomes for devil's club preparations.
The herbal and dietary supplement industry offers commercial preparations of devil's club in the form of teas, tinctures, and capsules; these supplements usually contain devil's club root bark as the main ingredient.
The following dosage forms and quantities appear in herbalist literature and monographs:
No standardized dosing protocols exist that are validated by controlled clinical research. The dosage information described above reflects traditional and herbalist practice only, not evidence-based clinical recommendations.
The acrid berries of devil's club are toxic for humans. A review of the scientific literature reveals little to no evidence evaluating the toxicology of the plant formally, although the berries are considered to be toxic.
The barbed thorns inflict unpleasant wounds. Punctures from the spines may raise painful, red, pus-filled eruptions. The spines on the stems and leaves are known to cause a topical allergic reaction.
Traditional use as a purgative and emetic suggests potential toxicity at higher doses. High doses are emetic and purgative.
No research has been done on the safety of this herb internally during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so avoidance is suggested.
Diabetics should use devil's club internally under medical supervision, as dosages of oral hypoglycemics may require adjustment. This consideration applies even though clinical evidence of a hypoglycemic effect is not established, given the theoretical risk of additive effects with antidiabetic medications.
O. horridus is sometimes marketed as "wild armored Alaskan ginseng," "Alaskan ginseng," or "Pacific ginseng," but such marketing is now forbidden in the United States due to its misleading nature.
Because Oplopanax is closely related to the genus Panax (ginseng), it has been overharvested in some areas, reducing the species population. Devil's club takes many years to reach the age of maturity and reproduce via seeds, meaning large groups of this plant are difficult to come by.
Although devil's club is a member of the ginseng family, and has some pharmacological and therapeutic similarities, it is not a "mind enhancer," and its modern use as a substitute for ginseng is the result of marketing.
This shrub is a member of the Araliaceae family, thus taxonomically related to Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng), American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), and eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus, formerly known as Siberian ginseng). Despite this botanical relationship, the characteristic ginsenosides of Panax are absent from O. horridus, and no adaptogenic effects have been documented in controlled human research.
Health conditions that Devil's club may help support.
Body systems that Devil's club may help support.
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