Bloodroot

At a glance

Origin / distribution: US(Amerindian), Turkey, USSR, US, Canada, US(Appalachia)

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Anemia, Aphrodisiac, Burn, Cancer

Science studied: ALKALOIDS, ALPHA-ALLOCRYPTOPINE, ALLOCRYPTOPINE, BERBERINE

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Papaveraceae

Scientific name: Sanguinaria canadensis

Common names: Bloodroot, Blodrot, Blodurt, Bloedwortel, Bloodroot (EN), Canadisk Blodurt, Gatgwéhsai’s, Kan otu, Kanadinė sangvinarija, Kanadische Blutwurz, Miskojiibik (meskwa'dji'bîkûk), Pishkak, Puccoon, Sanguinaria, Sanguinaria Norteamericana, Sanguinària del Canadà, Sangwinaria kanadyjska, Tekanekwénshia’ks, blodört, bloodroot

POWO: 673993-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in US(Amerindian), Turkey, USSR, US, Canada, US(Appalachia).

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Anemia
• Aphrodisiac
• Burn
• Cancer
• Cosmetic
• Cough
• Emetic
• Emmenagogue

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• US(Amerindian)
• Turkey
• USSR
• US
• Canada
• US(Appalachia)

Documented cultural uses

• Anemia
• Aphrodisiac
• Burn
• Cancer
• Cosmetic
• Cough
• Emetic
• Emmenagogue
• Expectorant
• Narcotic
• Rheumatism
• Sore(Throat)

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Anemia · US(Amerindian) · "
• Aphrodisiac · Turkey · "
• Burn · US(Amerindian) · "
• Cancer · USSR · "
• Cosmetic · US(Amerindian) · "
• Cough · US · "
• Emetic · US · "
• Emetic · Turkey · "
• Emetic · US(Amerindian) · "
• Emmenagogue · Turkey · "
• Expectorant · US · "
• Narcotic · Turkey · "
• Rheumatism · US(Amerindian) · "
• Sore(Throat) · US(Amerindian) · "
• Stimulant · US · "
• Stimulant · Turkey · "
• Tea · Turkey · "
• Tonic · Turkey · "
• Tonic · US · "
• Tonic · US(Amerindian) · "
• Vermifuge · Turkey · "
• Alterative · Turkey · "
• Divination · US(Amerindian) · "
• Laxative · Turkey · "

11 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Botanical Briefs: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). · 2021 source ↗
• Persistent Basal Cell Carcinoma Following Self-Treatment With a "Natural Cure," Sanguinaria canadensis. · 2021 source ↗
• Determination of Selected Isoquinoline Alkaloids from <i>Chelidonium majus</i>, <i>Mahonia aquifolium</i> and <i>Sanguinaria canadensis</i> Extracts by Liquid Chromatography and Their In Vitro and In Vivo Cytotoxic Activity against Human Cancer Cells. · 2023 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ALKALOIDS
• ALPHA-ALLOCRYPTOPINE
• ALLOCRYPTOPINE
• BERBERINE
• CHELERYTHRINE
• CHELILUTINE
• COPTISINE
• DIHYDROSANGUILUTINE
• MALIC-ACID
• OXYSANGUINARINE
• OXYSANGUINARIDINE
• PORPHYROXIN
• PSEUDOCHELERYTHRINE
• RESIN
• SANGUIDIMERINE
• SANGUILUTINE

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

checking published revisions…