UNIVERSITY OF AGRONOMIC SCIENCES AND VETERINARY MEDICINE

OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF HORTICULTURE
DISTANCE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
______________________________________________________________________________

ENGLISH HOMEWORK

- FIRST SEMESTER -

Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Science

by

Plesca Nicolae-Ciprian

YEAR: II

GROUP: 2

- January 2019 -
Bloodroot

Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant.

It’s part of the Papaveraceae family, Ranunculales order.

Bloodroot grows from 20 to 50cm tall. It has one large basal leaf, up to 25 cm across, with five
to seven lobes. The leaves and flowers sprout from a reddish rhizome with bright orange sap that
grows at or slightly below the soil surface. The rhizomes grow longer each year, and branch to
form colonies. Plants start to bloom before the foliage unfolds in early spring. After blooming
the leaves unfurl to their full size and go summer dormant in mid to late summer, later than some
other spring ephemerals.

The flowers bloom from March to May depending on the region and weather. They have 8–12
petals, many yellow stamens, and two sepals below the petals, which fall off after the flowers
open. Each flower stem is clasped by a leaf as it emerges from the ground. The flowers open
when they are in sunlight.

Seeds develop in green pods 4 to 6 cm long, and ripen before the foliage goes dormant. The
seeds are round and black to orange-red when ripe, and have white elaiosomes, which are eaten
by ants.

Bloodroot is native to eastern North America from Nova Scotia, Canada southward
to Florida, United States, and west to Great Lakes and down the Mississippi embayment. It is
commonly found in moist to dry woods and thickets, floodplains, near shores or streams. Less
frequently, it is found in clearings, meadows and on dunes.

Sanguinaria canadensis is cultivated as an ornamental plant. Despite bloodroot shedding its

petals one to two days after pollination, double-flowered forms of the same plant tend to last
longer. The flowers are large and white.

Bloodroot has been used in tinctures and extractions as a form of alternative medicine. It was
originally used by native americans in mainly respiratory treatments.

It was also believed (although there isn’t sufficient evidence) that it can cause vomiting, empty
the bowels, treat tooth pain, sore throat, poor circulation in the surface blood vessels, nasal
polyps, rheumatism, warts and fever.

Today, Bloodroot can be found in many “cancer-curing medicine”, despite being associated with
the development of oral leukoplakia which can ironically lead to oral cancer.

Other uses involve antibacterial/anti-plaque agent in toothpaste/mauthwash (the amount of

Bloodroot contained has been deemed safe by the FDA and it can help treat swollen gums) and
plant-based dye (by breaking the surface of the plant you can obtain a reddish sap which can be
used as dye).

However, prolonged usage of Bloodroot-based products is possibly unsafe. It is also likely

unsafe to take during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

It is also not recommended in case of an inflammatory disease as it can further irritate the
affected area.

Bloodroot can interfere with glaucoma treatment.

Side effects include: nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and rashes.

High doses can cause low blood pressure, shock, coma and glaucoma.

Bibliography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanguinaria

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-893/bloodroot

https://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/fact-sheets/bloodroot-cancer-risk-patient-fact-
sheet/article/760002/2/