SANICULA - Sanicle

Family: APIACEAE (Umbelliferae)

Sanicula crassicaulis

Sanicula crassicaulis

Sanicula crassicaulis

"Biennial, perennial herb, rhizomed or tap- or tuberous-rooted, glabrous or minutely scabrous. Stem: generally spreading to erect. Leaf: blade oblong-ovate to obovate, entire to ternately, palmately, or pinnately lobed, dissected, or compound. Inflorescence: heads simple, in cymes or racemes, dense, of bisexual and staminate (staminate only) flowers; bracts entire or lobed, < to > heads; bisexual flowers pedicelled or not, staminate generally long-pedicelled. Flower: calyx lobes prominent, persistent, occasionally fused; petals wide, yellow, purple, or ± white (pale red-orange), tips narrowed, generally lobed; styles long or short; ovary tip projection 0. Fruit: oblong-ovate to round, ± compressed side-to-side; fruit-halves ± cylindric, prickly to scaly or tubercled; ribs 0; oil tubes evident or obscure, regularly or irregularly arranged; fruit central axis not obvious. Seed: face flat or grooved."
"± 40 species: temperate, ± worldwide. (Latin: to heal) [Bell 1954 Univ Calif Publ Bot 27:133–230]" ^[Jepson]

Local Species;

1. Sanicula arctopoides - snake-root sanicle ^{[E-flora][PCBC]}
2. Sanicula bipinnatifida - purple sanicle ^{[E-flora][PCBC]}
3. Sanicula crassicaulis ^{[E-flora][PCBC][TSFTK]}
4. Sanicula europaea - sanicle ^[E-flora]
5. Sanicula graveolens - sierra sanicle ^{[E-flora][PCBC][TSFTK]}

Sanicula arctopoides - Snake-root sanicle

• General: "Perennial herb from a taproot; stems prostrate or ascending, 5-30 cm tall, branching." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-1]}
• Leaves: "Basal leaves rosette forming, somewhat succulent, often yellowish, stem leaves reduced, becoming sessile, irregularly toothed or cleft, the blades 2.5-6 cm long, 2.5-9 cm wide." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-1]}
• Flowers: "Inflorescence of several to many compact headlike umbels; flowers yellow; involucel conspicuous, surpassing the heads, the bractlets entire or trilobed." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-1]}
• Fruits: "Egg-shaped to subglobose, 2-5 mm long, covered with stout, hooked prickles." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-1]}
• Similar Species: "In B.C., Sanicula arctopoides is prostrate and has distinct involucels and yellow flowers, whereas Sanicula bipinnatifida has a more erect form, purple flowers, and no involucel. S. arctopoides is prostrate, has distinct involucels, and is found strictly in dry maritime meadows, whereas Sanicula crassicaulis has a more erect form, no involucel, and tends to grow in slightly deeper soil over a broader range of habitats." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-1]}
• Habitat/Range;"Mesic coastal bluffs in the lowland zone; rare in SW BC, known from SE Vancouver Island; S to CA." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-1]}
• Status: Native. ^[E-flora-1]
• Synonyms and Alternate Names
  
  • Sanicula howellii (Coult. & Rose) Shan & Constance
    
  • Sanicula howellii (J.M. Coult. & Rose) Shan & Constance
    
  • Sanicula crassicaulis var. howellii (Coult. & Rose) Mathias ^[E-flora-1]

Sanicula bipinnatifida - Purple sanicle

• This is a red-listed taxon in B.C. ^[E-flora-2]
• General: "Perennial herb from a taproot; stems erect, 10-60 cm tall, branching." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-2]}
• Leaves: "Basal and lower stem leaves pinnately divided, toothed or with a winged and toothed leaf axis, the stalks sharply toothed, the blades 4-13 cm long, 3-12 cm wide." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-2]}
• Flowers: "Inflorescence of several to many compact headlike umbels; flowers purple; involucel inconspicuous, of 6-8 lanceolate bractlets." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-2]}
• Fruits: "Egg-shaped to subglobose, 3-6 mm long, covered with stout, hooked prickles." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-2]}
• Similar Species: "In B.C., Sanicula bipinnatifida has an erect form, no involucel, and purple flowers, whereas Sanicula arctopoides is prostrate and has distinct involucels and yellow flowers. S. bipinnatifida has purple flowers and slightly shorter stems than Sanicula crassicaulis, which has yellow flowers and grows over a broader range of habitat than S. bipinnatifida." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-2]}
• Habitat/Range;"Mesic to dry meadows and woodlands in the lowland zone; rare on SE Vancouver Island; S to CA and MX." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-2]}
• Status: Native. ^[E-flora-2]
• Synonyms and Alternate Names
  
  • Sanicula bipinnatifida var. flava Jeps.^[E-flora-2]

Sanicula crassicaulis - Pacific sanicle

• SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC
  • Sanicula crassicaulis var. crassicaulis
  • Sanicula crassicaulis var. tripartite ^{[IFBC-E-flora-3]}
• General: "Perennial herb from a taproot; stem solitary, erect, 25-120 cm tall." ^{[IFBC-E-flora-3]}
• Leaves: "Alternate; basal and lower stem leaves palmately 3-5 lobed or divided without a narrow leaf axis, stalked below, becoming sessile above, primary divisions merely lobed or with teeth, blades 3-13 cm long, 2-18 cm wide." ^{[IFBC-E-flora-3]}
• Flowers: "Inflorescence of terminal umbels less than 1 cm wide in flower; flowers yellow or sometimes purplish; involucels inconspicuous, of 5 narrow bractlets." ^{[IFBC-E-flora-3]}
• Fruits: "Subglobose burrs, 2-5 mm long, covered, except sometimes at the base, with stout, hooked prickles." ^{[IFBC-E-flora-3]}
• Habitat/Range; "Moist to dry coastal bluffs, meadows and woodlands in the lowland zone; frequent in SW BC, known from S Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and adjacent coast, infrequent in WC BC, known from the Queen Charlotte Islands and Skeena River valley; S to CA and MX, disjunct to Chile." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-3]}
• Status: Native.^[E-flora-3]
• Ecological Indicator Information: "A shade-tolerant to shade-intolerant, submontane to montane, South American and Pacific North American forb. Species occurs on very dry to moderately dry, nitrogen-rich soils (Moder or Mull humus forms). Sporadic to scattered in open-canopy, young-seral forests on base-rich, water-shedding sites. A nitrophytic species characteristic of moisture-deficient sites." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-3]}

Sanicula europaea - European Sanicle

"Sanicula europaea is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft)."
"It is hardy to zone (UK) 6. It is in flower from May to September, and the seeds ripen from Jul to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies. The plant is self-fertile."
"Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils."
"It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil."^[PFAF]

• Range: "Europe, southern, central and eastern Asia, Africa" ^[MPFT]
• Status; Exotic. ^[E-flora-4]
• Characteristics: "The taste is slightly salty, bitter and dry." ^[PDR]

Sanicula graveolens - Sierra sanicle

• General: "Perennial herb from a taproot; stems solitary, erect, branched near the base, irregularly branched upwards, 5-50 cm tall." ^{[IFBC-E-flora-5]}
• Leaves: "Alternate; lowermost stem leaves long-stalked, often attached below ground level and seeming to arise separately from the stem, pinnately divided in 3's, the primary divisions also lobed and toothed, the blades 1.5-4 cm long, 2-3.5 cm wide, lowermost pair of primary divisions separated from the upper by a narrow, entire leaf axis; middle and upper stem leaves few, smaller, often becoming sessile." ^{[IFBC-E-flora-5]}
• Flowers: "Inflorescence of terminal umbels; flowers light yellowish; involucel inconspicuous, of 6-10 bractlets." ^{[IFBC-E-flora-5]}
• Fruits: "Egg-shaped to globose burrs, 3-5 mm long, covered, at least on upper portion, with stout, hooked prickles." ^{[IFBC-E-flora-5]}
• Habitat/Range; "Mesic to dry rocky slopes and open forests in the lowland to montane zones; infrequent in BC south of 53degreeN, rare northward in WC BC to 56degreeN; S to MT, WY and CA, disjunct to S. America." ^{[IFBC-E-flora-5]}
• Status: Native ^[E-flora]
• Ecological Indicator Information: "A shade-tolerant/intolerant to very shade-intolerant, submontane to subalpine, South American and Western North American forb distributed equally in the Pacific and Cordilleran regions. Species occurs on very dry to moderately dry, nitrogen-rich soils (Moder or Mull humus forms). Sporadic to scattered in open-canopy, young-seral forests on base-rich, water-shedding sites. A nitrophytic species characteristic of moisture-deficient sites." ^{[IPBC-E-flora-5]}
• Synonyms and Alternate Names
  
  • Sanicula graveolens var. septentrionalis (Greene) St. John
    
  • Sanicula nevadensis S. Wats.
    
  • Sanicula nevadensis var. septentrionalis (Greene) Mathias
    
  • Sanicula septentrionalis Greene ^[E-flora-5]

Hazards

• S. europaea; "...it was emphasised that sanicle must not be given for wounds in the head, or a broken skull, for fear of killing the patient (Grigson. 1955)." ^{[DPL Watts]}
• Saponins;
  • S. europaea; "The leaves contain saponins[179]. Although toxic, saponins are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm, they are also destroyed by thorough cooking. Saponins are found in many plants, including several that are often used for food, such as certain beans. It is advisable not to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K]." ^[PFAF-4] "Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Sanicle) — Class 1 (AHP). None known (KOM).“Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2)." ^{[HMH Duke]}

Food Use

• Leaves:
  • S. graveolens; Leaves consumed in Northwestern Patagonia. ^[Ladio,2000]
• Leaves & Young Shoots:
  • S. europaea; "Leaves and young shoots - cooked. They contain saponins so should not be eaten in large quantities. A famine food, it is only used when all else fails[179]." ^[PFAF-4]

Other Uses:

• S. europaea; Veterinary Aid: "There was a veterinary use, too – after a cow had calved, country people used to feed it with sanicle leaves, to help the expulsion of the afterbirth, and to stop any bleeding (Drury. 1985)." ^{[DPL Watts]}

Medicinal Use

• S. europaea; "Wood sanicle used to be widely used as a herbal remedy and has a long-standing reputation for healing wounds and treating internal bleeding. The herb is traditionally thought to be detoxifying and has also been taken internally to treat skin problems[254]. A potentially valuable plant, but it is little used in modern herbalism[7, 254]." ^[PFAF]
  • Flowers: "Sanicle flowers left in olive oil and oil of roses and exposed to the sun in well corked bottles produces an excellent preparation for sore muscles, etc. It should be rubbed in while lukewarm." ^{[Deschauer-2]}
  • Leaves:
    • Harvesting: "The leaves are harvested in early summer and the roots in mid to late summer, they can be dried for later use[4, 7]." ^[PFAF] "...fresh flowering herb and the basal leaves collected during the flowering season and dried." ^[PDR]
    • "Sanicle tea helps especially the lungs and is very useful in T. B. and syphilis. It also increases the appetite, heals the stomach and intestines, arrests internal bleeding. The powder or tea will stop spitting of blood, bloody urine, dysentery and heals internal injuries. It will dissolve and absorb internal bloodclots. Steeped in water and honey it makes a fine mouth wash and gargle for spongy, bleeding gums, sore throat and mouth ulcerations." ^{[Deschauer-2]} "The herb is highly esteemed in the treatment of blood disorders, where it is usually given in combination with other herbs[4]. It is also taken internally in the treatment of bleeding in the stomach and intestines, the coughing up of blood, nosebleeds, chest and lung complaints, dysentery, diarrhoea etc[4, 254]. It can also be used as a mouth gargle for sore throats[4]. Externally, it is applied to rashes, chilblains, inflammations etc[4, 7] and an ointment made from the plant is applied to haemorrhoids[7]." ^[PFAF]
    • "European Sanicle is used for mild inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract." ^[PDR]
    • "...uses in folk medicine have included wounds and contusions, and ...internally for stomach inflammations and bloody vomiting, among other applications." ^[PDR]
    • Homeopathic: "The primary application of European Sanicle in homeopathy is for diarrhea." ^[PDR]
      • Dosage: "5 drops, 1 tablet or 10 globules every 30 to 60 minutes (acute) or 1 to 3 times daily (Chronic); parenterally: 1 to 2 ml sc acute: 3 times daily: chronic once a day (HAB34)." ^[PDR]
    • External Use: "It is also used externally for wounds, tumors and ulcers with great success." ^{[Deschauer-2]}
  • Root: "Internal as tea, external as ointment - Skin, respiratory tract, locomotor system, gastrointestinal tract, infections" ^{[Vogl et al.,2013]}
  • Root & Aerial Parts: Infusion taken for Bleeding, serious wounds. ^{[Redzic,2007]}
  • Herb: "It is also agreed that the soaked herb, applied to tumors, stops them, or even the juice, rubbed on man or cattle." ^{[Daniel F. Austin]}
  • "Dosages (Sanicle) — 4–6 g dry shoot/day (HH2; KOM; PH2); 2–4 ml liquid shoot extract (PNC)." ^{[HMH Duke]} Leaves: "Dose of the tea: Tablespoonful every hour. Powder: 1/2 teaspoonful 2 to 3 times a day." ^{[Deschauer-2]} "The average daily dose is 4 to 6 g of the herb." ^[PDR]
  • Unspecified Parts:
    • "John Parkinson in his Theatrum of 1640 says the country folk applied an ointment made from it to their hands ‘when they are chapt by the winde’, but the uses recorded in the more recent folk literature mostly reflect the haemostatic property claimed for the plant." ^[MPFT]
    • "...in the Highlands...for healing infected wounds (as well as ulcers 45), while the curing of haemorrhages and dysentery (as well as bruises and fractures) has been claimed for it in the Isle of Man.46" ^[MPFT]
    • "In Ireland...valued for bleeding piles in parts of Londonderry.47" ^[MPFT]
    • "In Donegal...prized as a treatment for consumption.48" ^[MPFT]
    • "It particularly helps the spitting of blood, dysentery, and kidney ailments” (Meyer et al. 1999)." ^{[Daniel F. Austin]}

Pharmacology

• S. europaea;
  • "The leaves and the root are alterative, astringent, carminative, expectorant and vulnerary[4, 7, 9, 13, 21, 46]." ^[PFAF]
  • Leaves: "Mild Ast. Vul. Exa." ^{[Deschauer-2]}
  • "The drug has a mild astringent and expectorant effect....The saponin complex has been shown to be antimicrobial and antifungal." ^[PDR]
  • "...different aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Sanicula europaea, Nepeta tuberose, Sanguisorba minor as well as other medicinal plants worldwide exhibited clear antiviral activity against DNA and RNA viruses such as herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2, varicella-zoster virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, influenza A virus and poliovirus type 1." ^{[Wink APR39]}
  • "Sanicula europaea inhibited influenza virus by blocking RNA-dependent enzymes.[22]" ^[ModPhyt]

Phytochemistry

• Sanicula Spp.;
  • Rosmarinic acid (phenylpropanoid) ^{[Polya BTPBC]}
• S. europaea
  • "Triterpene saponins (up to 13%): including among others, acyl-saniculosides A-D, aglycones including A1-barrigenol, Rl-barrigenol, barringtogenol" ^[PDR]
  • "Caffeic acid derivatives: rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid" ^[PDR]
  • "Flavonoids: chief components rutin, isoquercitrin, astragalin" ^[PDR]
  • Saniculagenin A ^{[Connolly DT]}

Cultivation

S. europaea; "Succeeds in any moist moderately fertile well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade[4, 200]. Strongly dislikes poor thin soils[31]. Prefers a loamy or calcareous soil[9, 17]. The seeds are covered with little prickles, enabling them to become attached to anything that brushes against them and thus distributing the seed[4]." ^[PFAF]

S. europaea; "Stratification improves the germination rate. If possible sow the seed in the autumn, sow stored seed as early in the year as possible. It is best to sow the seed in situ in a woodland soil under trees If seed is in short supply it is probably wise to sow it in pots of woodland soil in a shady place in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a shady position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer." ^[PFAF]

Other (non-local) Sanicula Species;

• S. canadensis - Canadian black snakeroot; "The Ojibwa made a decoction of powdered S. canadensis root to regulate menses and to use after childbirth (Moerman 1998). The Houma made a root decoction for heart trouble (Speck 1940)." ^{[Daniel F. Austin]}
• S. gregaria;
  • "Clustered Snakeroot (Sanicula gregaria Bicknell). The same comment may be made on this species as in the preceding [As for Sanicula marilandica] , for it was often used without distinguishing the difference in the species for the same purposes." ^{[HuronSmith Menomini]}
• S. marilandica - Maryland black snakeroot (a name also given to Cimicifuga racemosa, Ranunculaceae)^{[Daniel F. Austin]};
  • "Chew the root up, spray it on the feet and no snakes will approach you." ^{[HuronSmith Winnebago]}
  • "Sanicula marilandica has been used to treat fever;" ^{[Daniel F. Austin]}
  • "André Michaux wrote on 18 August 1795 that a decoction of S. marilandica roots was a sovereign remedy for venereal diseases. Michaux did not state if he found indigenous people or American settlers using the plant (Vogel 1970). Porcher (1863) wrote of S. marylandica, “The Indians used it as we do sarsaparilla in syphilis, and also in diseases of the lungs.”" ^{[Daniel F. Austin]}
  • "This root was not used by the Menomini, which is somewhat strange as it has been a noted aboriginal remedy with other Indians, and possesses rather active aromatic, bitter principles. When pressed for information, my informant thought it might be used by the sorcerers for some evil purpose." ^{[HuronSmith Menomini]}
  • "The Iroquois applied S. marilandica as an emetic to counteract poisons, to cure sore navels, for dropsy, as a laxative, and to treat venereal disease. The Malecite used an infusion of roots to correct irregular menstruation.... The Micmac used roots to regulate menses, to stop menstrual pain and rheumatism, to aid in parturition, for kidney trouble, and to treat snakebite. The Ojibwa treated fever with the roots and put pounded root on rattlesnake bite (Moerman 1998). Huron Smith wrote of the Ojibwa, “if this root be chewed it would cause eruptions on the epithelial lining of the mouth. They consider it a very potent remedy” (Coffey 1993)." ^{[Daniel F. Austin]}
  • Dose: "ROOT. Strong Decoction, 2-4 ounces to 4X a day. Dry Root Tincture [1:5, 60% alcohol], 30-90 drops to 4X a day. Externally, the decoction makes the best wash." ^{[Moore(1995)]}
  • The root "...is fibrous and of an aromatic taste, and, according to C. I. Houck (A. J. P., vol. xiv, 463), contains a volatile oil and a resin. It has been used in intermittent fever, and also in chorea by Zabriskie. Dose of powder to children eight years old, half a drachm (2.0 Gm.) three times a day. (Am. J. M. S., n. s., xii, 374.)" ^{[Remington USD20]}
• S. odorata - cluster sanicle; "Sanicula odorata was made into an infusion with spikenard (Maianthemum racemosum) to relieve back and side pain and kidney trouble in Malecite women. Menomini sorcerers used that species for evil. Meskwaki used it as an astringent and to stop nosebleed (Moerman 1998)." ^{[Daniel F. Austin]}
• S. smallii - Small’s black snakeroot;
  • "The only known use of S. smallii was by the Cherokee who drank an infusion with pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule) to treat stomach cramps and colic, and used the liquid as a liniment (Hamel and Chiltoskey 1975)." ^{[Daniel F. Austin]}
  • "S. smallii was used for stomach problems (Moerman 1998)" ^{[Daniel F. Austin]}
• S. tuberosa; "Sierra Miwok women can still pry edible tubers of sanicle (Sanicula tuberosa) and remember that long ago these plants were common when the lower montane forests in the central Sierra Nevada were regularly burned." ^{[Anderson TTW]}

"Foster and Duke (1990) note that the leaves of S. canadensis contain allantoin as does S. europaea. That compound is apparently effective for treating bruises and inflammation (Hocking 1997). Presumably, that species and the others are likely to contain the chemicals known from the Old World plants. Sanicula europaea contains saponins, resins, and tannin-bitter substances (Hocking 1997)." ^{[Daniel F. Austin]}

References

• [E-flora] Accessed May 3, 2015
  • [1]http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Sanicula%20arctopoides&redblue=Both&lifeform=7
  • [2]http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Sanicula%20bipinnatifida&redblue=Both&lifeform=7
  • [3]http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Sanicula%20crassicaulis&redblue=Both&lifeform=7
  • [4]http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Sanicula%20europaea&redblue=Both&lifeform=7
  • [5]http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Sanicula%20graveolens&redblue=Both&lifeform=7
• [Jepson]2013. Sanicula, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=10218, accessed on Jan 28 2015
• Ladio,2000 - Edible Wild Plant Use in a Mapuche Community of Northwestern Patagonia, Ana H. Ladio and Mariana Lozada, Human Ecology, Vol. 28, No. 1, 2000
• [PFAF]http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Sanicula+europaea, Accessed May 4, 2015
• Redzic,2007 - The Ecological Aspect of Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology of Population in Bosnia and Herzegovina Sulejman S. Redzic, Coll. Antropol. 31 (2007) 3: 869–890
• Vogl et al.,2013 - Ethnopharmacological in vitro studies on Austria’s folk medicine—An unexplored lore in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of 71 Austrian traditional herbal drugs, Sylvia Vogl, Paolo Picker, Judit Mihaly-Bison, Nanang Fakhrudin, Atanas G. Atanasov, Elke H. Heiss, Christoph Wawrosch, Gottfried Reznicek, Verena M. Dirsch, Johannes Saukel, Brigitte Kopp, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 149 (2013) 750–771