Black Cottonwood
Populus nigra
Populus nigra is a deciduous tree species utilized within various traditional medicinal practices. It has been historically applied as an anodyne, diuretic, and sudorific to address fever, hemorrhoids, bladder complaints, colds, prostatitis, and wounds. Scientific evidence regarding its therapeutic properties is limited, though bud extracts have demonstrated antioxidant and anti-biofilm activity in some studies. Research also indicates that environmental stressors like heat and drought significantly impact the physiological performance of the species. No major safety issues or notable drug interactions have been recorded for this plant.
- Traditionally for
- fever · hemorrhoids
- Traditions
- traditional · Western phytotherapy
- Best evidence
- D
- Cautions
- —
Informational only. Traditional use does not mean proven effectiveness. Evidence and safety vary — check the cited sources.
Traditional use
- fever
- hemorrhoids
- anodyne
- bladder complaints
- cold
- depurative
- diuretic
- prostatitis
- sudorific
- wounds
What the science says
- Both drought and heat stress individually impaired Populus nigra seedling performance, with combined effects leading to more severe physiological dysfunction and growth suppression.
- Isoprene emission decoupled from net photosynthesis at temperatures around 40 °C in Populus nigra.
- The study found that brood-protection propolis from honeybees, containing compounds like benzyl caffeate and caffeic acid phenethyl ester, protected human skeletal muscle cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative damage.
- Populus nigra bud extract showed compositional similarity to European propolis and demonstrated antioxidant and anti-biofilm activity.
- Populus nigra uniquely induced salicylic acid under combined drought and herbivory treatment, without consistent growth changes across species.
- Nano-polystyrene affected the nutritional quality of leaf litter and benthic algae, influencing the feeding preference of river snails in a concentration-dependent manner.
- The study found that resistant Populus nigra hybrid QB3 upregulated genes involved in α-linolenic acid metabolism and showed increased α-linolenic acid content compared to susceptible hybrid Ta after Asian longhorned beetle feeding.
Frequently asked questions
What is Black Cottonwood?
Black Cottonwood (Populus nigra) is a plant documented in FolkKB's traditional-medicine reference, drawn from sourced literature and cross-checked against the evidence.
What is Black Cottonwood traditionally used for?
Traditional sources record Black Cottonwood for: fever, hemorrhoids, anodyne, bladder complaints, cold, depurative. This reflects traditional use, not a proven medical treatment.
Which traditions use Black Cottonwood?
Black Cottonwood appears in these traditions in our sources: traditional, Western phytotherapy.
What does the scientific evidence say about Black Cottonwood?
7 sourced findings are recorded for Black Cottonwood; the strongest carries evidence grade D. For example: Both drought and heat stress individually impaired Populus nigra seedling performance, with combined effects leading to more severe physiological dysfunction and growth suppression.
How strong is the evidence for Black Cottonwood?
The strongest finding for Black Cottonwood carries evidence grade D — preliminary or traditional. Grades run A (strongest) to D (preliminary or traditional).
Is Black Cottonwood safe? What are the side effects?
No major safety issues are recorded for Black Cottonwood in our sources, but the data may be incomplete. Consult a qualified professional before use.
Does Black Cottonwood interact with medications?
No drug interactions are recorded for Black Cottonwood in our sources. This does not rule them out — check with a pharmacist.
What are the common names of Black Cottonwood?
Black Cottonwood is also known as: Тополь чёрный, Peuplier noir.
Is Black Cottonwood a proven treatment?
No. FolkKB is informational only. Traditional use and early findings are not proof of efficacy or safety — consult a qualified professional and never self-treat.
Sources
- T3 Dr. Duke's Ethnobotanical Database public domain (USDA ARS — attribute Dr. Duke's)
- T2 French Propolis Caffeic Acid Derivatives Protect Skeletal Muscle from Oxidative Damages. literature abstract metadata
- T2 Mechanisms of Isoprene Decoupling in Poplar: Precursor Dynamics and VOC Fluxes Under Acute Thermal Exposure and Elevated CO2. literature abstract metadata
- T2 Transcriptomic and metabolomic joint analysis to explore the molecular mechanisms of different resistant poplar varieties in response to the feeding damage of Anoplophora glabripennis. literature abstract metadata
- T2 Nano-polystyrene influences energy flow dynamics in stream brown-green food chains: Evidence from feeding preference shifts of a river snail. literature abstract metadata
- T2 Species-specific, accession-specific, and common responses of foliar phytohormones and morphological traits to drought and herbivory. literature abstract metadata
- T2 Combined effects of drought intensity and heat stress impair physiological performance and recovery capacity in Populus nigra L. seedlings. literature abstract metadata
- T2 Populus nigra Bud Extract as a Standardized Alternative to Propolis: Evidence of Compositional Similarity-Functional Properties of an Oral Spray Containing Populus nigra Bud Extract. literature abstract metadata