Devil's club

Oplopanax horridus

An ivy-like shrub with large, hand-shaped leaves and spines over the whole stem and the leaf veins. Research into a blood-sugar-lowering effect is at an early stage.

Safety notes

The spines break off in the skin and cause inflammation: wear gloves. The berries are not edible. It can lower blood sugar; not without a doctor alongside diabetes medication. Not in pregnancy. Traditional use is no proof of effect; consult a doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication or have a medical condition.

Cautions by tradition (1)

Kwakwaka'wakw medicine: Beware of scalding from the steam. Wear gloves when harvesting.

Preparation

Burn off the spines, peel the bark and boil it for a long time; the decoction as a steam bath or as a tea.

Use in traditions

For pain in the body of someone who had long been bedridden, a Kwakwaka'wakw man cut four stems by the river. At home he burned off the spines, peeled the bark and boiled it all day. His wife sat on a board above a tub of the hot decoction, under two blankets, until she could bear it no longer. Sometimes a handful of barestem lomatium seed was added. The Tlingit and Haida use the bark for diabetes and rheumatism, mostly as a tea.

Applications

Use by tradition

How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.

Kwakwaka'wakw medicine

Attributed effects

For pain in the body of someone who has long been bedridden.

Preparation and amount

Cut four stems, burn off the spines, peel the bark and boil it all day; sit above the tub of hot decoction, under two blankets, until it can no longer be borne. Sometimes with a handful of lomatium seed.

Caution: Beware of scalding from the steam. Wear gloves when harvesting.

Ways to prepare herbs: Tea (infusion)Decoction Steam and bath

Sources

All herbs from North America →