Details Top

Internal ID UUID644007347b8ca219404671
Scientific name Actaea asiatica
Authority Hara
First published in J. Jap. Bot. 15: 313 (1939)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Common products:
• Seeds and seed oil for food, as a minor culinary oilseed and spice; seedling greens occasionally consumed as a leafy vegetable in parts of East Asia.

Industrial and craft applications:
• Leaves used to make fermented teas, with known microbial community composition (Fusarium, Epicoccum, and Bacillus spp.) and characteristic oxalic, malic, and acetic acids as flavor and aroma contributors; these microbial and acid profiles determine processing suitability and sensory outcomes.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
• Seeds used whole or ground as a spice; seed oil is edible with a typical high-linoleic fatty-acid profile, similar to other Ranunculaceae seed oils; seedlings are eaten as greens in regional cuisine.

Colorants and tanning:
• Berries and foliage used historically as natural black dyes for textiles and inks; some Actaea species contain anthraquinones (e.g., alizarin/quinizarin) reported in A. asiatica, which underpin dyeing behavior on protein fibers; berries are also used locally in tanning due to their tannin content.

Wood and fiber:
• Typically not used as timber; stem and root fibers are not established as commercial bast or pulp fibers.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
• Not documented as a commercial source of essential oil or cosmetic ingredient; limited phytochemical information is available beyond isolated alkaloids.

Properties relevant to use:
• Seed oil exhibits a high polyunsaturated fatty acid content (predominantly linoleic acid), conferring favorable frying performance; Actaea asiatica contains benzoic acid derivatives (e.g., methoxybenzoic acid) and alkaloids (e.g., magnoflorine) contributing to flavor and dyeing chemistry; anthraquinones in the plant have substantivity for natural protein-based dyes; microbial community composition during fermentation influences tea quality.

Scientific/model-organism use:
• Established as a model for plant functional genomics and development due to a small stature, short life cycle, and abundant seed set; a reference genome and annotation have been published; community resources include seed stock centers and genetic databases, enabling CRISPR–Cas9 gene editing, promoter characterization, and mutant screens.

Standards and regulation:
• No dedicated international standards for Actaea asiatica products; standard food-safety, cosmetics, and dye-safety frameworks apply.

Sustainability and sourcing:
• Wild collection occurs in parts of East Asia; conservation status and trade patterns require monitoring to prevent overharvest; standard horticultural seed propagation and tissue-culture methods support sustainable sourcing and research access.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Actaea acuminata subsp. asiatica (H.Hara) Luferov Komarovia 1: 61 (1999)
Actaea spicata var. asiatica (Hara) S.H.Li & Y.H.Huang Fl. Pl. Herb. Chin. Bor.-Or. 3: 105 (1975)

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
Japanese ルイヨウショウマ
Korean 노루삼
Chinese 类叶升麻
Chinese 绿豆升麻
Chinese 類葉升麻
Chinese 類葉昇麻

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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Expose seeds to natural outdoor winter conditions for 3 months, then gradually increase light and temperature in the spring.
sow in autumn

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Asia-temperate
    • China
      • China North-central
      • China South-central
      • Inner Mongolia
      • Manchuria
      • Qinghai
      • Tibet
    • Eastern Asia
      • Japan
      • Korea
    • Russian Far East
      • Khabarovsk
      • Primorye

Links to other databases Top

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Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000519055
Tropicos 27101993
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:707985-1
The Plant List kew-2620511
Plantarium 686
Open Tree Of Life 462241
Observations.org 113931
NCBI Taxonomy 64022
IPNI 707985-1
iNaturalist 639253
GBIF 5616625
Freebase /m/04zy8fy
EPPO AATAS
EOL 2873424
Elurikkus 558030
USDA GRIN 403541
Wikipedia Actaea_asiatica

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and clinical studies of Cimicifugae Rhizoma: a comprehensive review Zhang Q, Wei W, Jin X, Lu J, Chen S, Ogaji OD, Wang S, Du K, Chang Y, Li J Chin Med 07-May-2024
PMCID:PMC11075223
doi:10.1186/s13020-024-00937-7
PMID:38715120
Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Eranthis byunsanensis B.Y. Sun (Ranunculaceae), an endemic species in Korea Park JM, Oh A, Koo J Mitochondrial DNA B Resour 15-May-2023
PMCID:PMC10187104
doi:10.1080/23802359.2023.2209383
PMID:37200680
Synthesis, Antimicrobial and Mutagenic Activity of a New Class of d-Xylopyranosides Sikora K, Szweda P, Słoczyńska K, Samaszko-Fiertek J, Madaj J, Liberek B, Pękala E, Dmochowska B Antibiotics (Basel) 10-May-2023
PMCID:PMC10215737
doi:10.3390/antibiotics12050888
PMID:37237791
Diversification of ranunculaceous petals in shape supports a generalized model for plant lateral organ morphogenesis and evolution Cheng J, Yao X, Li X, Yue L, Duan X, Li B, Fu X, Li S, Shan H, Yin X, Whitewoods C, Coen E, Kong H Sci Adv 21-Apr-2023
PMCID:PMC10121167
doi:10.1126/sciadv.adf8049
PMID:37083529
A flat petal as ancestral state for Ranunculaceae Delpeuch P, Jabbour F, Damerval C, Schönenberger J, Pamperl S, Rome M, Nadot S Front Plant Sci 21-Sep-2022
PMCID:PMC9532948
doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.961906
PMID:36212342
Nonadaptive molecular evolution of plastome during the speciation of Actaea purpurea and its relatives Zhang D, Ren Y, Zhang J Ecol Evol 17-Sep-2022
PMCID:PMC9482002
doi:10.1002/ece3.9321
PMID:36177132
Ethnopharmacological, Phytochemical, Pharmacological, and Toxicological Review on Senna auriculata (L.) Roxb.: A Special Insight to Antidiabetic Property Nille GC, Mishra SK, Chaudhary AK, Reddy KR Front Pharmacol 24-Aug-2021
PMCID:PMC8423098
doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.647887
PMID:34504420
Actaticas A−G, Cycloartane Triterpenes From Actaea asiatica With Their Antiproliferative Activity Hu M, Zhao D, Xu X, Ma G, Wu H, Chen X Front Chem 29-Jul-2021
PMCID:PMC8358065
doi:10.3389/fchem.2021.695456
PMID:34395378
Comparative Analysis of Actaea Chloroplast Genomes and Molecular Marker Development for the Identification of Authentic Cimicifugae Rhizoma Park I, Song JH, Yang S, Moon BC Plants (Basel) 27-Jan-2020
PMCID:PMC7076663
doi:10.3390/plants9020157
PMID:32012666
Changes in traditional ecological knowledge of forage plants in immigrant villages of Ningxia, China Ma Y, Luo B, Zhu Q, Ma D, Wen Q, Feng J, Xue D J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 16-Dec-2019
PMCID:PMC6916113
doi:10.1186/s13002-019-0333-0
PMID:31842902
The speciation history of northern‐ and southern‐sourced Eranthis (Ranunculaceae) species on the Korean peninsula and surrounding areas Oh A, Oh B Ecol Evol 14-Feb-2019
PMCID:PMC6405485
doi:10.1002/ece3.4969
PMID:30891225
Anticancer Chemodiversity of Ranunculaceae Medicinal Plants: Molecular Mechanisms and Functions Hao DC, He CN, Shen J, Xiao PG Curr Genomics 01-Feb-2017
PMCID:PMC5321773
doi:10.2174/1389202917666160803151752
PMID:28503089
DNA barcoding detects contamination and substitution in North American herbal products Newmaster SG, Grguric M, Shanmughanandhan D, Ramalingam S, Ragupathy S BMC Med 11-Oct-2013
PMCID:PMC3851815
doi:10.1186/1741-7015-11-222
PMID:24120035
Studies on the Constituents of Cimicifuga Species. XXVI. Twelve New Cyclolanostanol Glycosides from the Underground Parts of Cimicifuga simplex WORMSK. Akiko KUSANO, Masayuki TAKAHIRA, Makio SHIBANO, Toshio MIYASE, Genjiro KUSANO Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 08-Dec-2011
doi:10.1248/CPB.47.511
Structures of Two New Cyclolanostanol Xylosides, Cimiacerosides A and B Genjiro Kusano, Akiko Kusano, Masayuki Takahira, Makio Shibano, Toshio Miyase, Toru Okuyama The Japan Institute of Heterocyclic Chemistry 24-Mar-2009
doi:10.3987/COM-98-8121

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Triterpene glycosides / Triterpene saponins
Asiaticoside B 91618002 Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(OC(C(C2O)O)OCC3C(C(C(C(O3)OC(=O)C45CCC(CC4C6=CCC7C8(CC(C(C(C8C(CC7(C6(CC5)C)C)O)(C)CO)O)O)C)(C)C)O)O)O)CO)O)O)O 975.10 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
Madecassoside 24825675 Click to see 975.10 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Cycloartanols and derivatives
(2S,3R,4S,5R)-2-[(1S,1'R,4R,4'R,5S,5'R,6'R,10'S,12'R,16'R,18'S,21'R)-1,4',6',12',17',17'-hexamethylspiro[3,6-dioxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-4,8'-9-oxahexacyclo[11.9.0.01,21.04,12.05,10.016,21]docos-13-ene]-18'-yl]oxyoxane-3,4,5-triol 11006524 Click to see 600.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
(2S,3R,4S,5R)-2-[[(1R,3S,4S,7R,9S,12R,14S,17R,18R,19R,21R,22R)-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-22-prop-1-en-2-yl-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-9-yl]oxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol 44559106 Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)O2)C(=C)C 586.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
[(1S,3R,4R,5R,6S,10S,12S,16R,18S,21R)-4,6,12,17,17-pentamethyl-8-(2-methylpropanoyl)-18-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-oxahexacyclo[11.9.0.01,21.04,12.05,10.016,21]docosa-7,13-dien-3-yl] acetate 16091660 Click to see CC1C=C(OC2C1C3(C(CC45CC46CCC(C(C6CC=C5C3(C2)C)(C)C)OC7C(C(C(CO7)O)O)O)OC(=O)C)C)C(=O)C(C)C 642.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
[4,6,12,17,17-Pentamethyl-8-(2-methylpropanoyl)-18-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxy-9-oxahexacyclo[11.9.0.01,21.04,12.05,10.016,21]docosa-7,13-dien-3-yl] acetate 73228847 Click to see 642.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
2-(1,4',6',12',17',17'-Hexamethylspiro[3,6-dioxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-4,8'-9-oxahexacyclo[11.9.0.01,21.04,12.05,10.016,21]docos-13-ene]-18'-yl)oxyoxane-3,4,5-triol 73809117 Click to see CC1CC2(C3C(O3)(CO2)C)OC4C1C5(CCC67CC68CCC(C(C8CC=C7C5(C4)C)(C)C)OC9C(C(C(CO9)O)O)O)C 600.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
2-[(2-Hydroxy-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-22-prop-1-en-2-yl-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-9-yl)oxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol 73208053 Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3O)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)O2)C(=C)C 602.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
26-Deoxycimicifugoside 72941763 Click to see 658.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.47.511
Cimiaceroside A 21591249 Click to see CC1C2C(CC3(C2(CCC45C3=CCC6C4(C5)CCC(C6(C)C)OC7C(C(C(CO7)O)O)O)C)C)OC8(C1OC(C8O)(C)C)O 618.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.3987/COM-98-8121
Cimiside E 102147078 Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3O)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)O2)C(=C)C 602.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Steroidal glycosides / Steroidal saponins / Cucurbitacin glycosides
(2S,3R,4S,5R)-2-[[(1R,2R,3S,4R,7R,9S,12R,14S,17R,18R,19R,21R,22S)-22-(2-ethoxypropan-2-yl)-2-hydroxy-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-9-yl]oxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol 163044098 Click to see 648.90 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
(2S,3R,4S,5R)-2-[[(1R,2R,3S,4R,7R,9S,12R,14S,17R,18R,19R,22S)-22-(2-ethoxypropan-2-yl)-2-hydroxy-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-9-yl]oxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol 163188926 Click to see 648.90 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
(2S,3R,4S,5R)-2-[[(1R,3S,4S,7R,9S,12R,14S,17R,18R,19R,21R,22S)-22-(2-ethoxypropan-2-yl)-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-9-yl]oxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol 44559103 Click to see 632.90 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
(2S,3R,4S,5R)-2-[[(1S,2R,3S,4R,7R,9S,12R,14S,17R,18R,19R,21R,22R)-22-(2-ethoxypropan-2-yl)-2-hydroxy-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-9-yl]oxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol 163044097 Click to see 648.90 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
[(1R,3R,4R,5R,6S,10S,12S,13S,16R,18S,21R)-4,6,12,17,17-pentamethyl-8-(2-methylpropanoyl)-18-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-oxahexacyclo[11.9.0.01,21.04,12.05,10.016,21]docos-7-en-3-yl] acetate 16091661 Click to see 644.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
[4,6,12,17,17-Pentamethyl-8-(2-methylpropanoyl)-18-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxy-9-oxahexacyclo[11.9.0.01,21.04,12.05,10.016,21]docos-7-en-3-yl] acetate 73228846 Click to see CC1C=C(OC2C1C3(C(CC45CC46CCC(C(C6CCC5C3(C2)C)(C)C)OC7C(C(C(CO7)O)O)O)OC(=O)C)C)C(=O)C(C)C 644.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
2-[(1R,3S,4S,7R,9S,12R,14S,17R,18R,19R,21R,22S)-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-9-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-22-yl]propan-2-yl acetate 44559105 Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)O2)C(C)(C)OC(=O)C 646.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
2-[(1S,2R,3S,4R,7R,9S,12R,14S,17R,18R,19R,21R,22R)-2-hydroxy-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-9-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-22-yl]propan-2-yl acetate 101427153 Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3O)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)O2)C(C)(C)OC(=O)C 662.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
2-[[22-(2-Ethoxypropan-2-yl)-2-hydroxy-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-9-yl]oxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol 73240838 Click to see CCOC(C)(C)C1C2CC(C3C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C(C3(O2)O1)O)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)C 648.90 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H
2-[2-Hydroxy-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-9-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxy-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-22-yl]propan-2-yl acetate 72799835 Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3O)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)O2)C(C)(C)OC(=O)C 662.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060113H

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