Traditionally used by Native Americans to facilitate childbirth, Blue Cohosh root (Caulophyllum thalictroides) continues to be used by midwives today. However, literature has shown inconsistent results ranging from no contractile response to causing harm to the infant and/or mother. The physiological activity of the plant is believed to be caused by the alkaloid or sapononin family of compounds found in aqueous extracts of the roots and rhizomes. The goal of this research is to isolate each of the alkaloids and saponins in Blue Cohosh and quantify the contractile response in rat uterine tissue. Our initial research has focused primarily on N-methylcystine, anagyrine, and baptifoline, three alkaloids that can be extracted from the aqueous layer using chloroform. The individual alkaloids have been successfully isolated using a GRACE Reveleris X2 flash chromatography system, using both normal and reverse phase chromatography for improved separation. The identity of each alkaloid has been confirmed by 1H and 13C NMR and mass spectrometry. The pure alkaloids are currently being used both individually and in combination to test for physiological activity on rat uterine smooth muscle tissue. Future steps for this research will focus on the isolation of magnoflorine, the last member of the alkaloid family, as well as the saponins, all of which remained in the aqueous layer following the organic extraction.

Extraction of alkaloids from blue cohosh root

251st National Meeting (2016)

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