European Baneberry

At a glance

Origin / distribution: ", China, Turkey, Spain, Italian, French, Europe, Spanish

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Angina Pectoris, Antidote, Asthma, Cardiotonic

Science studied: TRANS-ACONITIC-ACID, PROTOANEMONIN

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

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

Names and identity

Family: Ranunculaceae

Scientific name: Actaea spicata

Common names: European Baneberry, Actea, Actee en epi, Actée en épi, Actée en épi, Herbe aux poux, Almindelig druemunke, Baneberry, Baneberry (EN), Barba di capra, Christoffelkruid, Christophskraut

POWO: 303913-2 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in ", China, Turkey, Spain, Elsewhere, Italian, French, Europe and 4 additional places.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Angina Pectoris
• Antidote
• Asthma
• Cardiotonic
• Dropsy
• Hysteria
• Nerves
• Nervine

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• "
• China
• Turkey
• Spain
• Elsewhere
• Italian
• French
• Europe
• Spanish
• India
• English
• West Germany(Badan)

Documented cultural uses

• Angina Pectoris
• Antidote
• Asthma
• Cardiotonic
• Dropsy
• Hysteria
• Nerves
• Nervine
• Pertussis
• Phthisis
• Poison
• Preventitive(Death)

Cultural record detail

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

• Angina Pectoris · " · "
• Antidote · China · "
• Asthma · Turkey · "
• Cardiotonic · Spain · "
• Dropsy · " · "
• Hysteria · " · "
• Nerves · Elsewhere · "
• Nervine · Italian · "
• Pertussis · " · "
• Phthisis · " · "
• Poison · French · "
• Poison · Europe · "
• Preventitive(Death) · China · "
• Preventitive(Malaria) · China · "
• Preventitive(Miasm) · China · "
• Preventitive(Poison) · China · "
• Sedative · Spanish · "
• Sedative · India · "
• Senility · China · "
• Spasm · English · "
• Tumor · China · "
• Tumor(Thigh) · West Germany(Badan) · "
• Rheumatism · " · "
• Nerves · China · "

1 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

• Estimation of Total Phenols and Flavonoids in Extracts of Actaea spicata Roots and Antioxidant Activity Studies. · 2011 source ↗
• Fruit removal in the forest herb Actaea spicata depends on local context of fruits sharing the same dispersers. · 2007 source ↗
• Predispersal seed predation and population dynamics in the perennial understorey herb Actaea spicata. · 2003 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• TRANS-ACONITIC-ACID
• PROTOANEMONIN

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

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