Devil’s Club

Devil’s Club
Oplopanax horridum aka Oplopanax horridus
Araliaceae family

The following, while weighty in information, is in no way complete in the actions and uses of Devil’s Club. It’s a plant worth studying in depth.

Smooth muscle relaxant –
Smooth muscles are located in the walls of hollow internal structures of the body. Lymphatic vessels, urinary, uterus, reproductive tracts, gastrointestinal, respiratory, iris ciliary muscle are examples of smooth muscles. Smooth muscles do their thing independent of conscious thought. Spasms can occur due to a UTI infection, asthma, kidney stones, air/liquid filled intestines, menstrual cramps. They can come on quickly and be very painful. Whoooo! Devil’s Club relaxes the smooth muscles to bring relief. Pregnant women should be careful using DC during the first trimester as it can have a purgative effect.

Cardiac health –
Devil’s Club tones the cardiovascular system and stabilizes blood pressure. In fact, the panaxosides in Devil’s Club may aid the angiogenesis – the formation of new blood vessels, by increasing the expression of HIF-1alpha and CD31 (cell proliferation) of myocardium. Myocardium is heart muscle tissue. In layman’s terms, Devil’s Club aids in the health and strength of the cardiac system, and the formation of blood vessels. Panaxosides in Devil’s Club have been shown to be antiatherosclerotic – aiding in the prevention and regression of atherosclerosis – and anti-hypertensive.

Adrenal fatigue –
Adrenal fatigue begins in the hypothalamus. Located in the brain, the hypothalamus links the endocrine and nervous systems, and is ultimately responsible for energy, circadian rhythm, and body temperature. Under stress, whether it’s driving in rush hour traffic or worry about an upcoming dentist appointment, the hypothalamus synthesizes a corticotropin-releasing hormone and sends it to the pituitary. The pituitary releases an adrenocorticotropic hormone to the adrenals. The adrenals discharge cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream, which raises the glucose level, gets the heart pumping, muscles moving, and sets up the body to get into a high energy mode. This continues until the hormones reach the levels needed. Then a series of chemical reactions happen to switch off cortisol production. Check this out! Cortisol flooding will actually inhibit the hypothalamus and pituitary from synthesizing the cortisol creating hormones. The body can then slow down and return to homeostasis. When a person has adrenal fatigue, the hypothalamus and pituitary will send out hormone signals to the adrenals, but they are so depleted that nothing happens. The adrenals are not capable of creating hormones to react to stressful situations. Day to day minor stresses become major! Not only do the adrenal glands create cortisol and adrenaline, but also sex hormones and other hormones and chemicals, including dopamine, that the body needs. Other parts of the endocrine system try to compensate for hormone production failure in the weakened adrenals, but that leads to lower neurotransmitter and hormone levels in the body, creating all manner of symptoms such as lethargy and depression.

The araliasides in Devil’s Club helps modulate extreme stress in pituitary and hypothalamus. When healing from adrenal fatigue, it’s best to stay away from stimulating plants such as nettles and coffee, pay attention to circadian rhythm, and reduce/eliminate exposure to blue light after dark from smart phones, computers, TVs, etc. For more information on the health benefits of natural light, go to jackkruse.com.

Liver protecting –
Speaking of araliasides, those in oplopanax are glycosides which metabolize to have a powerful effect on hormone producing tissues. When glycosides are consumed, the sugar molecule is usually severed off by enzymatic action either in the gut or in the bloodstream, rendering the medicinal constituent bioavailable. Araliasides can help protect the liver from damage due to chemicals such as industrial solvents, pollutants, drugs.

Oplopanax contains sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenoid alcohols – 
Terpenes are also known as essential oils. Essential oils are part of a plant’s immune system, and play a role in attracting pollinators and in communication. Essential oils can be healing in the human body on a cellular level. Molecules that make up essential oils are so tiny that they can lift up in the air and enter our nasal passages, pass through the blood/brain barrier, and travel throughout our entire circulatory system. Their ability to travel throughout our body can be beneficial and detrimental, depending on the terpene and quantity ingested via skin, digestive system, and inhalation. The molecules themselves are made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Essential oils are lipids – lipids are fats. Lipids are hydrophobic, meaning that they do not dissolve readily in water, but do in solvents such as alcohol, pancreatic lipase from the pancreas, and bile from the liver. Essential oils are broken down into fatty acids. Fatty acids form a long lipoprotein structure that transports fats through the lymph system. So listen, this is how the antimicrobial and antifungal properties can get from our oplopanax tincture through our digestive system into the very system where it will have the most beneficial effect. Terpenes are made of carbon skeletons with hydrogen atoms attached. The basic building blocks of life are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Interesting, hey? What needs to be noted is that essential oils, or terpenes, are very concentrated and very strong. Special care must be used when working with terpenes. While a small amount may be beneficial, too high a concentration, dose and/or duration can prove harmful or even fatal.

Sesquiterpenes are by nature antiseptic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and calming agents. What is a calming agent? It’s what helps a person to relax when stressed or agitated.

Anti-inflammatory –
Cancer is now thought to perhaps be a result of chronic inflammation. Oplopanax’s anti-inflammatory services and sesquiterpenes are valuable as a possible cancer prevention. With the usage of Devil’s Club, the quantity of lymphocytes, macrophages and platelet should increase. Panaxosides not only regulate intestinal micro-ecology balance, they are an immunomodulator, may prevent the formation of hepatocarcinoma hydroperitonia (liver cancer), and can relieve the side effects of chemotherapy.

Pain Reliever –
One of the sesquiterpenes in Devil’s Club – nerolidol – is used as a skin penetration enhancer in beauty products. The presence of nerolidol in a medicinal oil of Devil’s Club, when applied to the skin, aids in the rapid delivery of pain relief to the affected area.

Hormone modulator –
Panaxosides in oplopanax act as hormonal modulators. Their amphiphilic (possessing affinities for both water and fat) nature allows them to enter the nucleus (as do steroid hormones) of cells, and the sugar residues fine-tune their effect on the gene expression. Panaxosides affect receptors and other structures outside the cell nucleus, and have a stabilizing effect on the cell membrane. Ginsenosides, a term which is used interchangeably with panaxosides, permit energy levels to rise, which aids the body’s capacity for both physical and mental energy, and reduces susceptibility to stress. Ginsenosides also stimulate the immune system, leading to an increased resistance to bacterial and viral infections, and a more rapid recovery from illness. Devil’s Club has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the internal secreting organs, is anti-thrombotic (reduces or prevents blood clots), regulates blood sugar levels (anti-diabetic), and reduces cholesterol levels.

Men’s health –
Devil’s club is helpful during andropause males in raising testosterone levels. Andropause occurs when the hormone testosterone goes below the normal range for the mature male. Testosterone supports males in building protein, and is crucial for normal sex drive and stamina. Testosterone contributes to several metabolic functions including bone formation and liver function.

Lung health –
Devil’s Club resolves phlegm, treats cough, colds, bronchitis.