Wild Ginger
[Asarum canadense]
Toxicity
Symptoms
Symptoms: Burning of tongue, cancer, dermatitis, diarrhea, nausea, paralysis, possibly kidney failure, rash, vomiting.
Duration of Symptoms: Days - months depending on the symptom.
Rate of Poison: Kidney failure: 1 - 8 years after exposure.
Causes Death: Yes
Treatment: Anti-itch cream or ointment, cool compress.
Despite the name, these wild gingers should not be used as a garnish or spice unless properly prepared. The rhizomes (underground stems) are used in place of ginger.
Photograph: USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab - Wikimedia Commons
License: Public Domain
Main Toxin
Molecular structure of Aristolochic Acid (ChemDraw)
Aristolochic Acid
Aristolochic acid, a nitrophenanthrene carboxylic acid derivative, is potentially a carcinogen and could damage the kidneys. Types of damages may include kidney failure. Aristolochic acid metabolizes to form the N-acylnitrenium ion with a positive charge. This allows the ion to bind to the amino groups of adenosine and guanine, located on DNA to form DNA adducts. Reductive activation of aristolochic acid is caused by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2 enzyme or NADPH/CYP depending on the location. Harmful environmental factors and poor health practices increase the risk of developing toxicity from aristolochic acid. The mechanism of how aristolochic acid causes kidney damage is not entirely known.
Level of Toxin: 0.037%
Impacting Dosage: ~10 mg/kg
Other Toxins and Chemical Components
Limonene
When ingested orally, the toxicity is low. However, limonene at a high concentration is known to cause dermatitis when in direct contact with skin. It may also cause eye irritation as well if in contact.
Level of Toxin: 0.8%
Impacting Dosage: None known.
1,4-cineole
2-methyltetrahydro-3-furanone
3-methylcyclopentanone
artistolone
camphene
furfural
hotrienol
linalyl acetate
methyllisoeugenol
neryl acetate
sabinene
thymyl methyl ether
α-pinene
1,8-cineole
3-methyl-2-butenal
4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone
benzaldehyde
cuminic alcohol
geraniol
juneol
linloo oxide
myrcene
p-cymene
sedanolide
trans-isoelemicin
α-terpineol
2,6-dimethylpyrazine
3-methylbutanal
5-methylfurfural
borneol
elemicin
geranyl acetate
linalool
methylchavicol
myrtenal
pertanol
terpinen-4-ol
trans-p-menthen-1-ol
β-pinene
2-methyl-2-butenal
3-methylbutanol
acetylfuran
bornyl acetate
eugenol
hexanal
linalool oxide
methylleugenol
n-butylphthalide
pinocarveol
terpinolene
verbenone
γ-terpineol
General Information
Parts of Plant: Leaves
Contact Hazard: Yes
Animals Affected: None known.
Notes: None
Medicinal Value
General Information
Parts of Plant: Roots, rootstock
Properties: Anthelmintic, antiasthmatic, antibiotic, antitumor, carminative, contraceptive, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic.
Components: Aristolochic acid.
Antidote: None known
Preparation: Infusion, poultice, powder, salve, tea, tincture, tonic.
Historical Uses
Current Uses
Treatments
Appetite Enhancer
Contraceptive: Decoction of rootstock and roots.
Wounds
Location
Asia
Europe
North America
Claimed Treatments
Asthma
Chronic Chest Pains
Colds
Colic: Tea made from rootstock.
Cough
Dehydration
Flatulence: Tea made from rootstock.
Inflammation: Fresh leaves made into a poultice.
Intestinal Spasms
Liver Disease
Migraine Headaches
Pneumonia
Sneezing: Powder
Upset Stomach: Tea made from rootstock.
Wounds: Fresh leaves made into a poultice.
Location
North America
Edibility
General Information
Parts of Plant: Rhizomes, root
Nutrients:
Minerals: Calcium, magnesium
Proteins
Taste: Spicy
WARNING: Some resource advise against the consumption of Wild Ginger.
Historical Uses
Current Uses
Preparation Methods
Candied Flavouring: Pieces of root cooked in sugar water for a couple of days.
Spice: Wild ginger was used as a spice by grinding the root into powder.
Preparation Methods
Ginger substitute: Boil rhizomes or root in sugar water to create a decoction.
General Facts
Plant Facts
Illustration of Wild Ginger by Internet Archive Book Images (Wikimedia Commons)
License: None Known
Family: Aristolochiaceae
Genus: Asarum
Other Names: Black Snakeweed, Canada Snakeroot, Coltsfoot Snakeroot, False Coltsfoot, Ginger Root, Heart Snakeroot, Indian Ginger, Southern Snakeroot, Vermont Snakeroot.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bloom Colours: Red, Red-brown, Green, Purple, Brown
Bloom Time: March - June
Type: Perennial
Height: 4-8 inches tall.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Habitat: Rich woods
Origin: North America
States: AL, AR, CT, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MA, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VT, VA, WV, WI.
Provinces: MB, NB, ON, QC
Related Species
Asarum arifolium
(Little Brown Jug)
Photo: Halpaugh - Wikimedia Commons
Asarum europaeum
(European Wild Ginger)
Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień Nova - Wikimedia Commons
License: CCSA 4.0
Other Species
Asarum caudigerellum
Asarum cordifolium
Asarum gracilipes
Asarum koreanum
Asarum magnificum
Asarum shuttleworthii
Asarum wagneri
Asarum chatienshanianum
Asarum costatum
Asarum hexalobum
Asarum lemmonii
Asarum marmoratum
Asarum sprengeri
Asarum yaeyamense
Asarum chueyi
Asarum crassum
Asarum himalaicum
Asarum macranthum
Asarum rosei
Asarum taitonense
Asarum contractum
Asarum fudsinoi
Asarum hypogynum
Asarum maculatum
Asarum satsumense
Asarum tawushanianum
Family Connection
Sources
Toxicity Section
Bauer, L., Bell, C. L., Gearien, J. E., & Takeda, H. (1967). Constituents of the rhizome of Asarum canadense. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 56(3), 336-343. From https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jps.2600560306
Gökmen, M. R., Cosyns, J. P., Arlt, V. M., Stiborová, M., Phillips, D. H., Schmeiser, H. H., ... & Lord, G. M. (2013). The epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of aristolochic acid nephropathy: a narrative review. Annals of internal medicine, 158(6), 469-477. From https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/full/10.7326/0003-4819-158-6-201303190-00006
Justin. (n.d.) Wild Ginger: It's Wild, Not Exactly Ginger, and Potentially Deadly. Nature's Poisons. From https://naturespoisons.com/2014/09/10/wild-ginger-aristolochic-acid-asarum-aristolochiaceae/
Kim, Y. W., Kim, M. J., Chung, B. Y., Bang, D. Y., Lim, S. K., Choi, S. M., ... & Lee, B. M. (2013). Safety evaluation and risk assessment of d-limonene. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 16(1), 17-38. From https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23573938/
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. (2023). Asarum canadense. The University of Texas at Austin. From https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=asca
McMillin, D. L., Nelson, C. D., DC, D. G. R., & Mein, E. A. (2003). Determination of Aristolochic Acid in Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger). From https://www.meridianinstitute.com/reports/wgreport.pdf
Motto, M. G., & Secord, N. J. (1985). Composition of the essential oil from Asarum canadense. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 33(5), 789-791. From https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/jf00065a004?casa_token=ZWLEQvG_z_UAAAAA:8gG1OepU61_c9Y9o0XC2YBcK6vmuqVvVb0ybXHGxoLywwX5tlYm87nft3MwJhHrvfErAQDRlxW9-1Xnf
Muenscher, W. C. (1975). Poisonous Plants of the United States. Macmilliam Publishing. (pp. 8, 63).
Plants for a Future. (n.d.). Asarum canadense - L. From https://pfaf.org/User/plant.aspx?latinname=Asarum+canadense
Reader’s Digest North American Wildlife. (1998). Wildflowers: Guides to Recognizing Just About Everything in Nature. Reader’s Digest Association. (pp. 17)
RxList. (2021). Asarum. From https://www.rxlist.com/asarum/supplements.htm
Shaw, H. (2012). Wild Ginger: Delicious or Deadly? Honest Food. From https://honest-food.net/wild-ginger-edible-toxic/
Thermo Fisher Scientific. (2010). Safety Data Sheet. From https://www.fishersci.com/store/msds?partNumber=AC203731000&productDescription=%28-%29-LIMONENE+92%25+100ML&vendorId=VN00032119&countryCode=US&language=en
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (1994). R.E.D. Facts Limonene. From https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jps.2600560306
Zhang, H., Ding, X., Tai, K. B., & Yu, A. W. (2017). Alternative medicine and chinese herbs and the kidney. Critical Care Nephrology, 3rd ed.; Ronco, C., Bellomo, R., Kellum, JA, Ricci, Z., Eds, 1313-1319. From https://nephros.gr/images/books/critical-care/Critical_Care_Nephrology_-_Ronco_3rd_Edition_20194-1827-1840-01-08.pdf
Medicinal Value Section
Hayden, W. J. (2010). 2010 Wildflower of the Year: Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense. Biology Faculty Publications. From https://scholarship.richmond.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1147&context=biology-faculty-publications
Lust, J. (1974). The Herb Book. Bantam Books. (pp.396-397).
McGrath, N. A. (2020). Phytochemical content and anti-breast cancer activity of Kentucky native plants. From https://ir.library.louisville.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1335&context=honors
Plants for a Future. (n.d.). Asarum canadense - L. From https://pfaf.org/User/plant.aspx?latinname=Asarum+canadense
RxList. (2021). Asarum. From https://www.rxlist.com/asarum/supplements.htm
Sam W. Hitt Medicinal Plant Gardens. (n.d.). Wild Ginger. From https://medicinalgardens.web.unc.edu/wild-ginger/
Edibility Section
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. (2023). Asarum canadense. The University of Texas at Austin. From https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=asca
Plants for a Future. (n.d.). Asarum canadense - L. From https://pfaf.org/User/plant.aspx?latinname=Asarum+canadense
Reader’s Digest North American Wildlife. (1998). Wildflowers: Guides to Recognizing Just About Everything in Nature. Reader’s Digest Association. (pp. 17)
Stritch, L. (n.d.). Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense L.). United States Department of Agriculture. From https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/asarum_canadense.shtml
Wild Plant Culture. (2016). Wild Ginger and the Sacred Question. From https://wildplantculture.com/home/2016/11/21/wild-ginger-and-the-sacred-question
General Facts Section
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. (2023). Asarum canadense. The University of Texas at Austin. From https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=asca
Muenscher, W. C. (1975). Poisonous Plants of the United States. Macmilliam Publishing. (pp. 8, 63).
Reader’s Digest North American Wildlife. (1998). Wildflowers: Guides to Recognizing Just About Everything in Nature. Reader’s Digest Association. (pp. 17)
Tikkanen, A. (n.d.). Aristolochiaceae Family. Britannica. From https://www.britannica.com/plant/Aristolochiaceae
Date of page creation: April 25, 2023
Updated page: May 29, 2023