Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridus) has a long history of use among Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. Traditional uses include employing the root bark as a poultice or decoction for a variety of ailments, notably for "swollen glands," lymph node swelling, or infections. Ethnobotanical records document that Alaska Native and First Nations healers have used Devil's Club topically and internally for conditions they interpreted as involving the lymphatic system, though these concepts were not always strictly aligned with Western medical definitions of lymph nodes. The plant was often applied for its perceived anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immune-modulating effects.

There is, however, limited scientific research directly validating Devil's Club's efficacy for swollen lymph nodes or glands. Laboratory studies have identified some anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial compounds in Devil's Club, but clinical studies in humans are lacking. The evidence supporting its traditional use for swollen glands is thus based mainly on historical and ethnographic records, not contemporary biomedical research. As such, while the use is well-established in traditional medicine, there is currently insufficient scientific evidence to confirm its effectiveness for this particular indication.

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