Devil's Club Drug Interactions, Uses, Safety & More

Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridus) is a large, thorny shrub that grows in the moist forests of the Pacific Northwest of North America, including parts of Alaska, British Columbia, and the northwestern United States. Its stems and leaves are covered with sharp spines, which is how it earned its name.

It is a member of the ginseng family (Araliaceae) and is one of the most important traditional plants used by many Indigenous peoples of the region. The bark of the root and stem has been used in teas, tinctures, and salves for a wide range of health concerns.

Today some people take Devil's Club as a supplement in capsules, tinctures, or teas, often for blood sugar support, colds, or joint pain. It remains far more a traditional remedy than a well-studied modern medicine.

People use Devil's Club for many reasons, but it is important to understand that strong human evidence is lacking for nearly all of them.

One of the most common traditional and modern uses is to help with blood sugar in diabetes. Some early laboratory and animal studies have looked at this, but reliable human clinical trials are largely missing, so we cannot say it works or is safe for this purpose.

It has also been used traditionally for respiratory infections, coughs, and colds, for arthritis and joint pain, and as a general tonic. Laboratory studies suggest some of its compounds may have antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory activity, but this kind of test-tube research does not prove it helps people.

Overall, the evidence for Devil's Club is preliminary and insufficient. It should not be used as a substitute for proven treatments, especially for serious conditions like diabetes.

Devil's Club contains several natural compounds, including polyacetylenes, triterpenes, glycosides, and other plant chemicals found in the bark. These substances are thought to be responsible for its possible effects.

In laboratory and animal studies, extracts have shown possible anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and blood-sugar-lowering activity. The exact way it might work in the body is not well understood.

It is important to remember that most of this research is based on test-tube or animal studies, not on well-designed human trials. What happens in a lab does not always translate into a real benefit when a person takes the supplement.

There is limited modern safety research on Devil's Club, so its full safety profile is not well known. Traditional use suggests it has been taken for a long time, but that does not guarantee it is safe in supplement form.

People with diabetes should be especially careful, since the plant may affect blood sugar; monitor closely and talk with your healthcare provider. People with any chronic medical condition or who take regular medications should check with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: There is not enough reliable safety information for these groups. To be safe, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid Devil's Club.

The plant itself has sharp spines that can cause skin injury and infection if handled raw, which is mainly a concern for people who harvest it themselves.

Because Devil's Club has not been well studied in people, its side effects are not fully known. Reported or possible effects include digestive upset, such as stomach discomfort or diarrhea.

Since it may lower blood sugar, there is a theoretical risk of blood sugar dropping too low (hypoglycemia), with symptoms such as shakiness, sweating, or dizziness.

As with any plant product, an allergic reaction is possible. Stop using it and seek medical care if you notice rash, swelling, trouble breathing, or other signs of an allergic reaction.

There is no established standard dose for Devil's Club. The right amount has not been determined in clinical studies, and product strength can vary widely between brands and forms (tea, tincture, or capsule).

If you choose to use it, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed the suggested amount. Because doses are not standardized, it is wise to start low and watch how you feel.

Always check with a pharmacist or doctor before starting Devil's Club, especially if you have a health condition or take other medicines.