Podophyllum
Oxford A-Z of Medicinal Drugs:
Top
podophyllum
A caustic resin (see keratolytics) that is used in the form of a compound ointment podophyllin paint for treating warts on the sole of the foot. It is available without a prescription, but only from pharmacies.
Side effects and precautions:
if many warts are to be treated, only a few should be treated at any one time, since podophyllum is extremely toxic if absorbed. It should not be applied to healthy skin (skin surrounding the wart should be protected during application) or to open wounds, and should not come into contact with the face (it is very irritant to the eyes). It should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Proprietary preparation:
Posalfilin (combined with salicylic acid).
| podophyllotoxin, plerixafor, placebo | |
| polyethylene glycols, polymyxin B sulphate, polysaccharide–iron complex |
Saunders Veterinary Dictionary:
Top
podophyllum
The dried rhizome and roots of Podophyllum peltatum.
- p. resin — a mixture of resins from podophyllum, used as a topical caustic in the treatment of certain papillomas. Was used at one time as a purgative but was capable of causing fatal superpurgation.
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Podophyllum
| Podophyllum | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Podophyllum peltatum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Berberidaceae |
| Genus: | Podophyllum L. |
| Species | |
|
Six species; see text |
|
Podophyllum is a genus of six species of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Berberidaceae, native to eastern Asia (five species) and eastern North America (one species, Mayapple P. peltatum).[1] They are woodland plants, typically growing in colonies derived from a single root.
The stems grow to 30–40 cm tall, with palmately lobed umbrella-like leaves up to 20–40 cm diameter with 3–9 shallowly to deeply cut lobes. The plants produce several stems from a creeping underground rhizome; some stems bear a single leaf and do not produce any flower or fruit, while flowering stems produce a pair or more leaves with 1–8 flowers in the axil between the apical leaves. The flowers are white, yellow or red, 2–6 cm diameter with 6–9 petals, and mature into a green, yellow or red fleshy fruit 2–5 cm long.
All the parts of the plant, excepting the fruit, are poisonous. Even the fruit, though not dangerously poisonous, can cause unpleasant indigestion.
The substance they contain (podophyllotoxin or podophyllin) is used as a purgative and as a cytostatic. Posalfilin is a drug containing podophyllin and salicylic acid that is used to treat the plantar wart.
They are also grown as ornamental plants for their attractive foliage and flowers.
-
Podophyllum peltatum in flower
-
Podophyllum hexandrum flowers & leaves
References
Species
- Podophyllum aurantiocaule. Southwest China (Yunnan).
- Podophyllum delavayi. Southwest China.
- Podophyllum hexandrum. Western China, Himalaya.
- Podophyllum peltatum - Mayapple. Eastern North America.
- Podophyllum pleianthum. Central and southeast China.
- Podophyllum versipelle. China, Tibet.
 |
Wikispecies has information related to: Podophyllum |
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Podophyllum |
|
|||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
Oxford A-Z of Medicinal Drugs
Market University Press. © 2000, 2003, 2010 An A-Z of Medicinal Drugs. All rights reserved.
Read more
Saunders Veterinary Dictionary
Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.
Read more
