| |
|
|
Botanical Name |
: |
Phytolacca americana L. |
English
Name |
: |
Common pokeweed, American pokeweed, Pigeon berry, Inkberry |
Synonym(s) |
: |
Phytolacca decandra L. |
Family |
: |
Phytolaccaceae |
| |
General Info
| Description |
 |
|
A perennial branched herb up to 3 m tall, often with purplish stems, roots tuberous. Leaves elliptical to ovate-lanceolate, up to 30(-40) cm x 12 cm. Flowers in racemes generally longer than leaves, bisexual, stamens about 10, in 1 whorl, carpels about 10, united in fruit. Fruit a purple-black berry to -1cm in diameter. |
| Herb Effects |
|
|
Anti-inflammatory and antiviral (plant); alterative, anodyne, anti-inflammatory, cathartic, expectorant, hypnotic, narcotic and purgative (root); anodyne and anti-inflammatory (dried root); cathartic, emetic and expectorant (leaves). |
Chemistry
| Active Ingredients |
|
|
Alpha -spinasterol, anthocyanin, caryophyllene (fruit); ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, betanin, niacin, thiamin (shoot); astragalin, isoquercitrin (leaf); calcium oxalate, phytolaccatoxin (plant); jaligonic acid, oleanolic acid, tannin, xylose (root). |
| Chemistry
of Active Ingredients |
|
|
|
 |
Name |
CAS# |
IUPAC Name |
Formula |
Structure |
 |
|
| alpha-Spinasterol |
481-18-5 |
17-(5-ethyl-6-methyl
-hept-3-en-2-yl)-10,
13-dimethyl-2,3,4,5,
6,9,11,12,
14,15,16
,17-dodecahydro-1H-c
yclopenta[a]phenanth
ren-3-ol |
C29H48O |
|
| Anthocyanin |
85763-44-6 |
Not Available |
Not Available |
|
| Caryophyllene |
87-44-5 |
4,11,11-trimethyl-8-
methylidene-bicyclo[
7.2.0]undec-4-ene |
C15H24 |
|
| Ascorbic acid |
Not Available |
2-(1,2-dihydroxyethy
l)-4,5-dihydroxy-fur
an-3-one |
C6H8O6 |
|
| Beta carotene |
7235-40-7 |
3,7,12,16-tetramethy
l-1,18-bis(2,6,6-tri
methyl-1-cyclohexeny
l)-octadec
a-1,3,5,
7,9,11,13,15,17-nona
ene |
C40H56 |
|
| Betanin |
Not Available |
(2S)-1-[(2Z)-2-[(2S)
-2,6-dicarboxy-2,3-d
ihydro-1H-pyridin-4-
ylidene]et
hylidene
]-6-hydroxy-5-[(2S,3
R,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5-tr
ihydroxy-6-(hydroxym
et
hyl)oxan-2-yl]ox
y-2,3-dihydroindole-
2-carboxylate |
C24H26N2O13 |
|
| Niacin |
99148-57-9 |
Pyridine-3-carboxyli
c acid |
C6H5NO2 |
|
| Thiamin |
59-43-8 |
2-[3-[(4-amino-2-met
hyl-pyrimidin-5-yl)m
ethyl]-4-methyl-1-th
ia-3-azoni
acyclope
nta-2,4-dien-5-yl]et
hanol |
C12H17N4OS+ |
|
| Astragalin |
480-10-4 |
4,5-dihydroxy-2-(4-h
ydroxyphenyl)-3-[3,4
,5-trihydroxy-6-(hyd
roxymethyl
)oxan-2-
yl]oxy-chromen-7-one |
C21H20O11 |
|
| Isoquercitrin |
Not Available |
2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-
[(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-3,
4,5-trihyd
roxy-6-(
hydroxymethyl)oxan-2
-yl]oxy-chromen-4-on
e |
C21H20O12 |
|
| Calcium oxalate |
5794-28-5 |
calcium oxalate |
C2CaO4 |
|
| Phytolaccatoxin |
70323-47-6 |
Not Available |
Not Available |
|
| Jaligonic acid |
51776-39-7 |
(2S,4aS,6aS,6aS,6bR,
8aR,9R,10R,11S,12aR,
14bR)-10,11-dihydrox
y-9-(hydro
xymethyl
)-2,6a,6b,9,12a-pent
amethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a
,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,
14
b-tetradecahydro
picene-2,4a-dicarbox
ylic acid |
C30H46O7 |
|
| Oleanolic acid |
508-02-1 |
10-hydroxy-2,2,6a,6b
,9,9,12a-heptamethyl
-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a
,10,11,12,
13,14b-t
etradecahydropicene-
4a-carboxylic acid |
C30H48O3 |
|
| Tannin |
1401-55-4 |
Not Available |
C27H22O18 |
|
| Xylose |
25990-60-7 |
Oxane-2,3,4,5-tetrol |
C5H10O5 |
|
|
Pharmacology
| Medicinal Use |
|
|
Has been employed in the treatment of diseases related to a compromised immune system (plant); taken internally in the treatment of auto-immune diseases (especially rheumatoid arthritis), tonsillitis, mumps, glandular fever and other complaints involving swollen glands, chronic catarrh and bronchitis, and used as a poultice on bruises, rheumatic pains etc. (root); a wash made from the roots is applied to swellings and sprains; applied as a poultice to sore breasts (fruits); used in the treatment of cancer, haemorrhoids and tremors (fruit juice); the treatment of rheumatism and dysentery (tea made from fruits). |
| Contraindication |
|
|
Should not be used by pregnant women |
Dealers
Products
|
|
Health Remedies 
Return to top