Seneca Snakeroot

At a glance

Origin / distribution: US(Amerindian), US(Appalachia), Turkey, US, US(VA), Japan*, JP

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Asthma, Bite(Snake), Diuretic, Emetic

Science studied: 1,5-ANHYDRO-(O-ALPHA-D-GALACTOPYRANOSYL-{1-2}-O-ALPHA-D-GALACTOPYRANOSYL-{1-2}), -D-GLUCITOL, ARABINOSYL-ALPHA-D-GALACTOSYL-D-GLUCOSE, P-COUMARIC-ACID

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

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

Names and identity

Family: Polygalaceae

Scientific name: Polygala senega

Common names: Seneca Snakeroot, Senega, Seneca snakeroot, senega snakeroot, senega-root, senegarot, sengaroot

History

The source record documents this plant in Elsewhere, US(Amerindian), US(Appalachia), Turkey, US, US(VA), Japan*, JP.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Asthma
• Bite(Snake)
• Diuretic
• Emetic
• Expectorant
• Gout
• Hivess
• Medicine

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Elsewhere
• US(Amerindian)
• US(Appalachia)
• Turkey
• US
• US(VA)
• Japan*
• JP

Documented cultural uses

• Asthma
• Bite(Snake)
• Diuretic
• Emetic
• Expectorant
• Gout
• Hivess
• Medicine
• Pleurisy
• Poison
• Rheumatism
• Sudorific

Cultural record detail

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

• Asthma · Elsewhere · "
• Bite(Snake) · US(Amerindian) · "
• Bite(Snake) · US(Appalachia) · "
• Diuretic · Turkey · "
• Emetic · Turkey · "
• Expectorant · Elsewhere · "
• Expectorant · Turkey · "
• Gout · US · "
• Hivess · US · "
• Medicine · US(Appalachia) · "
• Pleurisy · US · "
• Poison · Elsewhere · "
• Rheumatism · US · "
• Sudorific · Turkey · "
• Alterative · Turkey · "
• Bronchitis · Elsewhere · "
• Cancer · US(VA) · "
• Tonic · Elsewhere · "

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

• RETRACTION: Anticancer Potentials of Root Extract of <i>Polygala senega</i> and Its PLGA Nanoparticles-Encapsulated Form. · 2026 source ↗
• Preparation of Tenuifolin from <i>Polygala senega</i> L. Root Using a Hydrolytic Continuous Flow System under High-Temperature, High-Pressure Conditions. · 2021 source ↗
• Anti-angiogenic effect of triterpenoidal saponins from Polygala senega. · 2010 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• 1,5-ANHYDRO-(O-ALPHA-D-GALACTOPYRANOSYL-{1-2}-O-ALPHA-D-GALACTOPYRANOSYL-{1-2})
• -D-GLUCITOL
• ARABINOSYL-ALPHA-D-GALACTOSYL-D-GLUCOSE
• P-COUMARIC-ACID
• 3,4-DIMETHOXYCINNAMIC-ACID
• FERULIC-ACID
• 2-O-ALPHA-D-GALACTOPYRANOSYL-1,5-ANHYDRO-D-GLUCITOL
• GALACTOSE
• HYDROXYSENEGIN
• MANNOSE
• P-METHOXY-CINNAMIC-ACID
• METHYL-SALICYLATE
• PECTIN
• POLYGALITOL
• RAFFINOSE
• SALICYLIC-ACID-METHYL-ESTER-PRIMVEROSIDE

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

Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases · CC0

GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0

World Flora Online Plant List · WFO dataset terms; see release metadata

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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