TITLE:
Ecological and Chemotypic Analysis for Improved Growth and Management of Naturally Occurring Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa L.) Populations in Western Maryland
AUTHORS:
Amanda Vickers, Sunshine L. Brosi, James Howell, Bhavneet Kaur, David Puthoff, Edward Eisenstein
KEYWORDS:
Actaea racemosa, Rhizome, Natural Products, Physiographic Province, Reproductive State
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.6 No.19,
December
30,
2015
ABSTRACT: Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa L.) is a perennial herb native to deciduous woodlands in eastern
North America with an extensive history of traditional use, most commonly for rheumatoid arthritis
and female reproductive issues. Modern clinical research has maintained this herb’s relevance
into the 21st century with a majority of authentic black cohosh raw material still harvested from
naturally occurring populations in Appalachian woodlands for use in botanical supplements. Increased
use and interest in black cohosh have led to increased wild harvesting, reports of adulteration,
and stress on this important natural resource. In an effort to study this significant medicinal
plant as part of an ecosystem, and to understand factors that would contribute to the more effective
growth and maintenance of black cohosh, key chemical, physiological, and ecological aspects
of two occurring populations in western Maryland were surveyed. Rhizomes were harvested
from six populations of naturally occurring black cohosh in two state forests located in the Allegheny
Plateau and Ridge and Valley physiogeographic provinces of Maryland. The concentrations of five medicinal compounds found in black cohosh extracts, actein, 23-epi-26-deoxyactein, cafeic
acid, ferulicacid, and N-methylserotonin, were compared with plant reproductive status as well as
accompanying overstory and under story species, soil moisture, and soil pH at each site. Compound
levels showed a complex dependence on physiography but were independent of reproductive
state. The findings provide clues to guide efforts at effective growth and management of wild
populations of black cohosh and other threatened medicinal plants.