Süstemaatiline kuuluvus (APG IV)
Riik: Taimed (Plantae)
Klaad: Soontaimed (Tracheophyta)
Klaad: Katteseemnetaimed (Angiospermae)
Klaad: Päriskaheidulehelised (Eudicotyledonae)
Selts: Tulikalaadsed (Ranunculales)
Sugukond: Tulikalised (Ranunculaceae)
Perekond: Ülane (Anemonoides)
Liik: Võsaülane - Anemonoides nemorosa (L.) Holub

Botaaniline kirjeldus
Võsaülane on mitmeaastane suvehaljas rohttaim ülase perekonnast ja tulikaliste sugukonnast. Taim kasvab 8-25 cm kõrguseks. Taime vars on 8-25 cm kõrge, paljas või hajusalt karvane. Maa-alune osa koosneb horisontaalsest, kollakast või pruunist risoomist, mis on harunev ja mille sõlmekohtades on peened lisajuured. Risoom asub mullas 2-3 cm sügavusel ja selle külgharude pungadest arenevad maapealsed võsud. Lehed on harilikult ühe juurmise ja kuni kolme kõrglehega. Juurmine leht on pika rootsuga ja kolmejaguse lehelabaga, samas kõrglehed, mis kinnituvad õierao ülemisele kolmandikule, on sarnased juurmise lehega, kuid lehe osad on veel omakorda jagunenud. [1,2]

Võsaülase õied on lihtsad, mõlemasugulised, õiekate lahklehine, läbimõõduga 2-4 cm. Õiekatte moodustavad 6-8 valget, tagumiselt küljelt tihtipeale roosakat, karvadeta tupplehte. Emakaid ja tolmukaid on taimel palju. Õitsemisperiood kestab aprilli ja mai jooksul umbes 10-15 päeva. Öösel ja halva ilmaga õied longuvad. Võsaülane on putuktolmleja ja hakkab looduses õitsema umbes 10-aastaselt. Viljad on lühikese kõverdunud nokaga, 4-5 mm pikkused paljad pähklikesed, mis valmivad mai lõpus või juunis. Need levivad peamiselt sipelgate abil. Võsaülane paljuneb nii seemnete abil kui ka vegetatiivselt, risoomi abil. [1,2] 

Levila
Võsaülane on levinud peaaegu kogu Euroopas, puududes vaid Islandil, Lapimaal ja enamikul Pürenee poolsaarest. Eestis on see taim sage. Eelistab kasvada leht- ja segametsades, võsastikes, puisniitudel, eriti salu- ja laanemetsades. Võsaülane on varjulembene ja kasvab kõige paremini parasniiskel, huumusrikkal mullal. [2] 

Toime ja kasutamine
Taime ei soovitata kasutada ravimtaimena - tegemist on mürgise taimega. Ülase mürgistus on tõsine seisund, mis võib tekkida pärast taime osade söömist. Mürgistuse sümptomid ilmnevad tavaliselt mõne minuti jooksul pärast allaneelamist. Esimesed märgid hõlmavad tugevat kurgupõletikku ja kõhuvalu, mis on mürgistuse varased sümptomid. Lisaks võib tekkida äge gastroenteriit, mille tunnused on seedetrakti põletik, iiveldus ja oksendamine. Veelgi tõsisem on verise kõhulahtisuse teke, mis viitab seedetrakti limaskesta tugevale ärritusele ja kahjustusele. Samuti võib esineda keele pragunemist ja silma sarvkesta veritsust, mis on märk üldisest mürgistusest. Ülase mürgistuse kõige tõsisemad tagajärjed võivad olla narkootilised ja isegi surmavad, sõltuvalt allaneelatud doosist. [3, 4] 

Classification (APG IV)
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Anemonoides
Species: Wood anemone - Anemonoides nemorosa (L.) Holub

Botanical description
The wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Anemone in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). The plant grows to a height of 8–25 cm. Its stem is 8–25 cm tall, either hairless or sparsely hairy. The underground part consists of a horizontal, yellowish or brown branching rhizome, with fine adventitious roots at its nodes. The rhizome lies 2–3 cm below the soil surface, and aerial shoots develop from buds on its lateral branches. The leaves typically include a single basal leaf and up to three cauline leaves. The basal leaf is long-stalked and has a three-lobed blade, while the cauline leaves, attached to the upper third of the flower stem, resemble the basal leaf but are further divided.

The flowers of the wood anemone are simple, bisexual, and have a petal-like perianth. The flowers are 2–4 cm in diameter and consist of 6–8 white sepals, often with a pinkish hue on the underside and no hairs. The plant produces numerous stamens and pistils. The flowering period lasts for about 10–15 days in April and May. During the night and unfavorable weather, the flowers droop. The wood anemone is insect-pollinated and starts blooming in nature around 10 years of age. The fruits are small, hairless nutlets, 4–5 mm long, with short, curved beaks. These mature in late May or June and are mainly dispersed by ants. The plant reproduces both by seeds and vegetatively via its rhizome. 

Distribution
The wood anemone is widely distributed across most of Europe, except in Iceland, Lapland, and much of the Iberian Peninsula. In Estonia, it is common and prefers growing in deciduous and mixed forests, thickets, wooded meadows, and particularly in grove and boreal forests. The plant is shade-loving and thrives best in moderately moist, humus-rich soils.

Uses
The wood anemone is not recommended for medicinal use due to its toxicity. Ingestion of plant parts can lead to severe poisoning. Symptoms typically appear within minutes of consumption and include severe throat irritation and abdominal pain as early signs. Acute gastroenteritis, characterized by inflammation of the digestive tract, nausea, and vomiting, may develop. Severe cases can result in bloody diarrhea, indicating significant irritation and damage to the digestive mucosa. Additional symptoms may include cracked tongue and corneal hemorrhages, indicative of systemic poisoning. The most severe outcomes of wood anemone poisoning can be narcotic effects and even death, depending on the dose consumed.

The wood anemone contains a diverse range of bioactive compounds, primarily alkaloids, known for their broad pharmacological effects. Key compounds include glycosides such as protoanemonin, anemonin, and ranunculin, which exhibit antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Other constituents include saponins, tannins, vitamin C, coumarins, flavonoids, and γ-linolenic acid.

The primary active compound, protoanemonin, is a viscous, colorless, volatile, and toxic oil with a pungent odor. It possesses antimicrobial and antifungal properties and has shown antimutagenic and sedative effects. Interestingly, protoanemonin converts to anemonin during drying, forming a white crystalline powder soluble in organic solvents. Anemonin exhibits analgesic and antispasmodic effects and has been used to treat asthma, whooping cough, rickets, and uterine bleeding.

In traditional medicine, wood anemone herb has been used in various ways, including as an antitumor, analgesic (for abdominal pain, headaches), anti-inflammatory (for lungs, kidneys, spleen, eyes, malignant ulcers), antispasmodic, sedative, sudorific, bactericidal, antimicrobial, antifungal, expectorant, diuretic, and abortifacient agent.

Infusions have been employed to treat malignant tumors, heart diseases, pneumonia, fever, abdominal pain, and as an abortive agent. The herb has also been used in tinctures and decoctions to address heart diseases, apathy, fever, shortness of breath, asthma, gallstones, sexual weakness in both men and women, menstrual disorders, rheumatic gout, scabies, leprosy, shingles, whooping cough, paralysis, syphilis, and gout. It is believed to enhance kidney and lung activity.

Externally, wood anemone herb is used for rheumatism, gout, skin diseases, and as an antiseptic. The juice is used to remove warts. In homeopathy, the herb is used as a sedative, diuretic, and sudorific agent.

References
1. Krall, H., Kukk, T., Kull, T., Kuusk, V., Leht, M., Oja, T., Reier, Ü., Sepp, S., Zingel, H., & Tuulik, T. (2008). Eesti taimede määraja. Eesti Loodusfoto.
2. WFO. (2023). Anemonoides nemorosa (L.) Holub. World Flora Online. Kasutatud 24. detsembril 2023, aadressil http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000535989.
3. Lukianchuk, A., Khropot, O., Konechnyi, Y., Konechna, R., & Novikov, V. (2017). Wood anemone. Anemone Nemorosa L. Analytical review. ScienceRise Pharmaceutical Science. https://doi.org/10.15587/2519-4852.2017.104438
4. Pirvu, L., Stefaniu, A., Neagu, G., & Pintilie, L. (2022). Studies on Anemone nemorosa L. extracts; polyphenols profile, antioxidant activity, and effects on Caco-2 cells by in vitro and in silico studies. Open Chemistry. De Gruyter Open Access. https://doi.org/10.1515/chem-2022-0137