Podophyllum hexandrum Health Dictionary

Royle.

Synonym: P. emodi Wall. ex Hook. f. & Thoms.

Family: Berberidaceae.

Habitat: Inner ranges of the Himalayas, from Kashmir to Sikkim at 1,800-4,000 m.

English: Indian Podophyllum.

Ayurvedic: Giriparpata.

Folk: Bana-kakari (Punjab), Venivel (Gujarat), Patvel (Maharashtra). Paapraa, Paapri.

Action: Rhizomes and roots— antineoplastic. Strongly irritant to skin and mucous membranes. Used topically as an ointment for venereal warts, verrucae and similar conditions.

Key application: P. peltatum— externally, for removal of pointed condyloma (skin adjacent to the treated area should be protected). (German Commission E.) P hexandrum: Podophyllin (10-40%) for external application, 2-6 h weekly, for anogenital warts. (Indian Herbal Pharmacopoeia.) (Podophyllin is a mitotic poison.)

May Apple of North America is equated with Podophyllum peltatum Linn. The main lignin is podophyllo- toxin. Podophyllum hexandrum contains similar lignans with the exception of alpha-and beta-peltatins, which are reportedly absent; the concentration of podophyllotoxin is up to 4.3%. P. peltatum contains about 0.25% and the Taiwanese species P. pleianthum 0.1% podophyllotoxin.

(Podophyllotoxin is a valuable lig- nin, as it is used for the synthesis of chemically administered cytostat- ic etoposide and tenoposide.)