Wild mandrake, also called American mandrake, is a perennial plant
in the barberry family that naturally occurs in woodland settings
throughout eastern North America. The plant readily establishes itself
by colonizing along the forest floor via underground rhizome offshoots
often referred to as runners. Because mandrake was once commonly used by
various Native American tribes, the herb is known by many other common
names including devil’s apple, racoonberry, wild lemon and umbrella
plant. It is best known, however, as mayapple.
With the exception of the fruit, all parts of the plant are poisonous
and even the former can only be tolerated in small doses without adverse
side effects. The roots contain a plant lignan called podophyllotoxin,
also known as podophyllin, podofilox or simply PPT. This compound is
used in creams designed to interrupt cell division in warts, including
those caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). It is also used to
synthesize the chemotherapy agent etoposide.
