Poke (Phytolacca americana) Plant Monograph

Poke

Photo by Alexandria Szakacs on Unsplash

Phytolacca americana

Phylogenetic Information:

Phylum: Angiosperm

Class: Eudicot

Family: Phytolaccaceae

Genus: Phytolacca

Species: americana

Common names: American pokeweed, cancer root, common pokeweed, Virginia poke, inkberry

Chinese Medicine Name: Chuixu Shang Lu

Botanical Information:

Young poke sprouting near base of maple tree

Flowers of poke close up

Immature raceme of poke flowers

Immature green berries

Mature poke berries

Cross section of stem. Photo Credit: Curtis Young, OSU Extension/Van Wert County

Poke root. Photo Credit: City of Portland.

Identification characteristics: Poke is an herbaceous upright perennial that can grow up to 9’ tall. It has thick, fleshy roots, smooth, branching stems, and large (3.5-12 inch long and 1.2-4.7 inches wide) leaves that alternate. The leaves have smooth margins with petioles up to 2 inches long. The leaves are lanceolate and have a disagreeable smell when crushed. The stems “redden” with age. Pokeweed flowers lack true petals; the 5 sepals are greenish white to pinkish and arranged on long racemes. The flowers have numerous prominent stamens, and the racemes change colors from white to red as the flowers mature into berries. Poke flowers are bisexual and can self-pollinate. The fruits are purplish black when ripe and arranged on drooping clusters on bright reddish-pink stems (Elias & Dykeman, p. 96).

Look alike plants: Poke has been mistaken for elderberry, which can be dangerous for those who are looking for elderberries. Elderberries are not arranged in drooping, long clusters. Their berries are arranged in flat or dome-shaped clusters with small berries. Poke’s berries are larger and in more of a grapelike cluster. Elder has opposite leaf arrangement where poke has an alternate leaf arrangement.

Habitat: Poke is widespread and can be found in disturbed, gravelly soils. It can be found in pastures, roadsides, woods, fence rows, and forest edges (Ohio State University).

Native region: Poke is native to North America with the exception of Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North and South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming and parts of central and Western Canada.

Geographical distribution: Introduced to China in 1935 and Europe in the 17^th century.

Harvesting guidelines: Wild harvesting is encouraged, as poke spreads very aggressively. Gloves should be worn while handling poke. Young shoots may be harvested in late spring before leaves unfold (Elias & Dykeman, p. 96). The root should be dug during dormancy, and leaves should be harvested in early spring. Berries may be harvested when ripe (Cech, p. 244). Care should be taken not to harvest poke from contaminated sites that may contain heavy metals as poke takes these up from the soil.

Herbal Information:

Constituents: Phytolaccosides including aglycones, phytolaccogenin, and phytolaccagenic acid (Tilgner, p. 172).

Herbal actions: Lymphatic, antirheumatic, anti-inflammatory, anticatarrhal, anticancer, bronchodilator, alterative, antiviral, laxative, emetic (Hoffman, p. 121).

Energetics: Poke is cooling and drying.

Indications: Poke is indicated for a congested lymphatic system with swollen, hard lymph nodes. It has an affinity for red, swollen, inflamed tissues of the mammary glands, testicles, or throat.  (Tilgner, p. 172). This herb has been traditionally used as a remedy for chronic rheumatic conditions in Appalachia. Appalachian grandmothers routinely speak of swallowing 1-2 berries a day to help ease joint pain, believing that the berries are not toxic so long as the seed isn’t chewed (Rago, p. 95).  Topically, the oil is indicated for mastitis, swollen lymph nodes, and breast cancer (Easley & Horne, p. 287). It promoted the body’s removal of catabolic waste and is also indicated for mumps, orchitis, stomatitis, boils, eczema, and psoriasis (Tilgner, p. 142). Poke contains ribosomal inactivating proteins that inhibit viral replication, showing activity against herpes simplex virus, influenza virus, and polio virus, which may trigger autoimmune thyroiditis (Stansbury, p. 61). Modern studies have been investigating poke’s role in combating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The pokeweed antiviral protein demonstrated ability to inhibit HIV-1 replication and its ability to stop proliferation of B-lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia blasts (Wishon, 2010). Another study has shown that an extract of pokeweed can inhibit bacterial pathogens implicated in the development of periodontitis and dental caries (Patra et al., 2014).

Preparation methods: Poke may be decocted, tinctured, made into infused oils and salves, or used as a poultice. When preparing as a food, young shoots may be harvested before the plant branches, the plant reddens, or the leaves open fully. Harvest the shoot above any pinkish portion. Cook the shoot in boiling water for 5-7 minutes. Drain, add fresh water, and cook for 5-7 minutes again. Cook in another round of fresh water if any bitterness remains (Meredith, p.211-212).

Plant parts used: Roots, leaves, shoots, berries.

Dosing strategies: Decoction: ¼ tsp of root may be simmered in 1c of water for 10-15 minutes. An adult may drink this up to 3x daily (Hoffman, p. 121). Short term use only. Adjust dosage if ill effects occur.

Tincture: Root or berry 1:10, 45%. .2mL may be taken well-diluted in water 3x daily. Do not exceed 10mL weekly (Hoffman, p. 121).

Infused oil and salve: Wearing gloves, wash the fresh, spring- or fall-harvested root. Chop into small pieces. Allow to fully dry. Add root pieces to a jar and add oil to fully cover roots. Allow the oil mixture to sit for six weeks, adding oil as needed to ensure roots stay covered. Strain out the roots, leaving infused oil in a jar (Wood, 2023). Oil can then be applied to the unbroken skin of the affected area as needed. Melt 1TB of beeswax per one ounce of infused oil over low heat to make a salve. This may be applied to the affected area on unbroken skin as needed.

Poultice: Thoroughly wash poke root and crush or juice until soft. Wrap in a wet compress on the unbroken skin of the affected area. Patch test first in case of skin irritation.

Recipes: Uterine fibroid tincture formula: Combine 12 mL of Vitex agnus-castus, 8 mL of Leonurus cardiaca,  4 mL of Virburnum opulus, 4 mL of Achillea millefolium, and 4 mL of Phytolacca americana. Take ½ to 1 TSP of the combined tincture 3-4x daily (Stansbury, p. 151).

Contraindications: Phytolacca species are low-dose plants and should only be used while under the guidance of a well-qualified practitioner. Large doses may cause illness or death. Poke should not be used during pregnancy or by children. Poke should not be applied directly to the nipple of lactating people. Poke may cause skin irritation in direct contact with the fresh plant. Avoid in use for those suffering from kidney disease (Easley & Horne, p. 287).

Works Cited:

Cech, Richo. Making Plant Medicine. Herbal Reads, 2016.

Easley, Thomas and Steven Horne. The Modern Herbal Dispensatory. North Atlantic Books, 2016.

Elias, Thomas S. and Peter A. Dykeman.  Edible Wild Plants. Sterling, 1982.

Hoffman, David. The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal. Barnes & Noble Books, 1996.

Meredith, Leda. Northeast Foraging. Timber Press, 2014.

Ohio State University. “Common Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana).” OARDC

Ohio Perennial and Biennial Weed Guide, n.d. https://weedguide.cfaes.osu.edu/singlerecord.asp?id=112

Patra, J.K., et al. (2014). Antibacterial effect of crude extract and metabolites of Phytolacca americana on pathogens responsible for periodontal inflammatory diseases and dental caries. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-14-343   

Rago, Linda Ours. Blackberry Cover Herbal. SCOD Press, 2000.

Stansbury, Jill. Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals Vol. 3. Chelsea Green, 2018.

Tilgner, Sharol. Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth. Wise Acres, 2020.

Wishon, L.M. (2010). Anticancer activity of Phytolacca americana root extracts and their fractions on breast and colon cancer cells. Aggie Digital Collections and Scholarship. https://digital.library.ncat.edu/dissertations/5/   

Wood, Corinna. “Honoring grandmother’s wisdom with poke root: How to make poke oil and Salve.” Red Moon Herbs, 12 May 2015.  https://redmoonherbs.com/blogs/womens-herbal-healthcare/honoring-grandmother-s-wisdom-with-poke-root