MEDICINAL USE and CHEMISTRY:

More than one hundred years ago the underground stem of the mayapple was recommended to treat cancerous tumors on the skin. Its resin, podophyllin, contains three lignans that prove to be damaging to malignant tumors in mice. Lignans are a derivative of an organic substance, dibenzylbutane. Though potential anti-cancerous roles have been discovered in this species, the use of this drug has been limited because of the toxicity of the plant.

Etoposide, though, is a semisynthetic derivative of podophyllin and has been FDA-approved for testicular and small-cell lung cancer. Etoposide can be administered intravenously or orally, but there is a high chance for an allergic reaction.

Podophyllin is also the most common form of prevention for venereal warts. (It is applied externally.)

The resin of the plant also contains podophyllotoxin, a teratogen. A teratogen is a poison that alters the mitotic growth of cells and can selectively kill a fetus.

The resin from this species also contains irritant purgatives which act on the sensory nerve endings of the bowel wall. Because of this purgative action, the resin is used when extremely necessary to treat chronic constipation.

NATIVE AMERICAN USES:

Many of today's medicinal uses of the mayapple stemmed from the knowledge of how the Native Americans utilized the plant. Native Americans used the root as a purgative, emetic, worm expellent, for jaundice, constipation, and fevers. The resin was used to treat venereal warts also. The fruit was used as a source of food.

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS:

The mayapple is usually twelve to eighteen inches high. It has one or two large, deeply divided, umbrella like leaves. The single flower, attached below the two leaves (stems with a single leaf do not flower), is waxy and has six to nine petals.

The fruit is a large lemon like berry.