Planta Med 2019; 85(14/15): 1160-1167
DOI: 10.1055/a-0981-4287
Natural Product Chemistry and Analytical Studies
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Profiles of Phenolic Acids and Triterpene Glycosides in Commercial and Cultivated Black Cohosh

Marian Bittner
1   Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
2   Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Berlin, Germany
,
Regina Schenk
3   Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
,
Andreas Springer
4   Core Facility BioSupraMol, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
,
Matthias F. Melzig
1   Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 13 March 2019
revised 15 July 2019

accepted 19 July 2019

Publication Date:
13 August 2019 (online)

Abstract

The medicinal plant Actaea racemosa is a perennial, whose rhizome (black cohosh rhizome) is usually wild harvested on a multiton scale to meet market requirements. Since this North American species is increasingly endangered, cultivation is needed. Even though studies prove that cultivation is possible, it has not been widely established. This may be due to a different quality of cultivated material, which does not comply with current pharmacopoeial requirements. This study compares contents and chromatographic fingerprints of phenolic acids and triterpene glycosides in different types of black cohosh rhizomes. Commercial batches from wild harvests were compared to individual plants from the wild and from cultivation. Phenolic acidsʼ contents and profiles were generally comparable between wild harvesting and cultivation. On the contrary, the total triterpene glycoside content was significantly lower in cultivation (p ≤ 0.001). In individual plants, different profiles of triterpene glycosides occurred. Possibly, specimen or chemotype selection for cultivation would cause a shift of the triterpene glycoside profile of cultivation batches away from the common pattern found in batches from wild harvesting. Potentially, such differences have an impact on the efficacy of black cohosh herbal products, if cultivated plant material is used for manufacturing.

Supporting Information

 
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