Podophyllum pleianthum

Podophyllum peltatum L. has a well‑documented record of preparation as poultices and topical decoctions among indigenous peoples of eastern North America. Among the Cherokee of the southeastern United States, leaf pastes were applied to tumors and skin conditions (University of Michigan Ethnobotany Database), and the Iroquois of the Northeast used a whole‑plant decoction as a wash for ulcers and cutaneous growths (University of Michigan Ethnobotany Database). The Lenape (Delaware) of the Mid‑Atlantic also reported use of the whole plant in wash or poultice form for growths and tumors, and the Winnebago and Menominee of the Great Lakes employed the mashed or boiled plant topically on swellings (University of Michigan Ethnobotany Database). In these traditions, the plant part was most often the aerial parts (leaves, stems) or occasionally the rhizome/root, typically crushed and moistened as a direct application to lesions.

In a modern context, a basic cold compress of 5 g of fresh aerial parts in 250 mL of cool water, steeped for 10 minutes, may be applied topically to inflamed or swelling areas. A 1:5 ethanol tincture of the plant—5 g of dried aerial parts macerated in 25 mL of 40–50% ethanol for 7–10 days, shaken daily—provides a standardized topical preparation. The plant is potentially toxic if ingested due to podophyllotoxin, and pregnant or nursing people should not handle or ingest preparations (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2020).

Well‑established constituents for the species include podophyllotoxin and its glycosides, and related lignans such as quercetin and kaempferol glycosides, supporting the traditional use for warty and growth‑related skin conditions. Current work focuses on podophyllotoxin as a precursor for anticancer drug derivatives, and tinctures and crude preparations for dermatological use are available in specialty herbal markets.

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