''Coptis'' (goldthread or canker root) is a genus of between 10–15 species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...

s in the family

Ranunculaceae Ranunculaceae (buttercup or crowfoot family; Latin "little frog", from "frog") is a family of over 2,000 known species of flowering plants in 43 genera, distributed worldwide. The largest genera are '' Ranunculus'' (600 species), '' Delphiniu ...

, native to

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

and North America.

Species

;Selected species *'' Coptis aspleniifolia'' - fernleaf goldthread, spleenwort-leaf goldthread *''

Coptis chinensis ''Coptis chinensis'', the Chinese goldthread, is a species of goldthread flowering plant native to China. Etymology *''Coptis chinensis'' Franch. var. ''chinensis''

'' - Chinese goldthread, ''Huang lian'' in Chinese () *'' Coptis deltoidea'' *''

Coptis trifolia ''Coptis trifolia'', commonly known as the threeleaf goldthread or savoyane, is a perennial plant in the genus '' Coptis'', a member of the family Ranunculaceae. Distribution It is native to North America and Asia across the subarctic regi ...

'' (syn. Coptis groenlandica) *''

Coptis japonica ''Coptis japonica'', the Japanese goldthread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to central and southern Japan, and introduced to Korea. In Asia it is grown for medicinal purposes, with the main alkaloid being ber ...

'' - Japanese goldthread, ''Riben huang lian'' in Chinese () *'' Coptis laciniata'' - Oregon goldthread: California, Oregon, Washington State *'' Coptis occidentalis'' - Idaho goldthread: Idaho, Montana, Washington *'' Coptis omeiensis'' *'' Coptis quinquefolia'' *'' Coptis quinquesecta'' *'' Coptis teeta'' - Yunnan goldthread, ''Yunnan huang lian'' in Chinese () *''

'' - threeleaf goldthread, savoyane, canker-root (Eastern Eurasia, Greenland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Canada, USA)

Uses

'' Coptis teeta'' is used as a medicinal

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...

in China and the

Eastern Himalaya ] The Eastern Himalayas extend from eastern Nepal across Northeast India, Bhutan, the Tibet Autonomous Region to Yunnan in China and northern Myanmar. The climate of this region is influenced by the monsoon of South Asia from June to September. I ...

n regions of

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

particularly in Mishmi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh where it is used as a bitter tonic for treating malarial feverPandit MK, Babu CR, 1993. The cytology and taxonomy of Coptis teeta Wall. (Ranunculaceae). Botanical Journal of Linnean Society, 111 : 371 —378Pandit MK, Babu CR, 1998. Biology and conservation of Coptis teeta Wall. – an endemic and endangered medicinal herb of Eastern Himalaya. Environmental Conservation, 25 (3) : 262 —272 and

dyspepsia Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia or upset stomach, is a condition of impaired digestion. Symptoms may include upper abdominal fullness, heartburn, nausea, belching, or upper abdominal pain. People may also experience feeling full earlier ...

. It is also believed to help

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy ...

Chinese herbology Chinese herbology () is the theory of traditional Chinese herbal therapy, which accounts for the majority of treatments in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). A ''Nature (journal), Nature'' editorial described TCM as "fraught with pseudoscience ...

. The roots contain the bitter

alkaloid Alkaloids are a class of basic BASIC (Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages designed for ease of use. The original version was created by John G. Kemeny and Th ...

berberine Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids found in such plants as '' Berberis vulgaris'' (barberry), '' Berberis aristata'' (tree turmeric), ''Mahonia aquifolium'' (Oregon grape), '' H ...

. Studies have shown that the species has become endangered both due to

overexploitation Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. Continued overexploitation can lead to the destruction of the resource, as it will be unable to replenish. The term ap ...

as well as intrinsic genetic bottlenecks such as high

cytoplasmic male sterility Cytoplasmic male sterility is total or partial male sterility in plants as the result of specific nuclear and mitochondrial interactions. Male sterility is the failure of plants to produce functional anthers, pollen, or male gametes. Background J ...

induced by genetic mutations.Pandit, M. K. & Babu, C. R. (2000) Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 133, 525–533.Pandit, M. K. and Babu, C. R. 2003. “The effects of loss of sex in clonal populations of an endangered perennial Coptis teeta (Ranunculaceae),” Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, vol. 143, no. 1, pp. 47–54. As a result of the synaptic mutation and ensuing male sterility the sexual reproduction in the species is significantly depressed. The dried roots (goldthread) were commercially marketed in Canada until the 1950s or early 60s, to be steeped into a "tea" and swabbed onto areas affected by thrush (candidiasis) infection.

Ecology

The species inhabits warm and cold temperate forests of oak-rhododendron association. It is occasionally seen growing under bamboo thickets around Mayodia region of Dibang Valley district in the

Mishmi Hills The Mishmi Hills are located at the northeastern tip of India, in northeastern Arunachal Pradesh. On the Chinese side, they form the southern parts of Nyingchi Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region. These hills occur at the junction of Nor ...

of Arunachal Pradesh in India. It flowers during early spring March–April and sets fruit/seed in July–August. The seedlings are rare and are often found germinating on moss laden dead wood on the forest floor or even on moss laden branches of

Rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; from Ancient Greek ''rhódon'' "rose" and ''déndron'' "tree") is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are nativ ...

. A new subspecies was recognised in ''C. teeta'' by Pandit & Babu and was named as subsp. ''lohitensis'', which is morphologically very different from subsp. ''teeta'' and it is geographically distinct and inhabits broad leaf forests in Delai Valley of Lohit district in Arunachal Pradesh, India.

References

External links

Coptis lutescensFlora of North America: ''Coptis''Flora of China: ''Coptis''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q135562 Ranunculaceae genera Herbs Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine