Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Dr. Joe-Ann McCoy commenced collection and development of the NC Medicinal Germplasm Repository at the NC Arboretum in 2008. In 2009 field collection progressed rapidly with an additional 1,064 medicinal accessions added to the collection, culminating in a total of 1,475 accessions representing a broad range of species diversity. The main focus of collection emphasis remained on native medicinal flora with additional plans to focus on larger collections of specialty crops and rare species. The BCGR took over all CPC (Center for Plant Conservation) responsibilities at the NC Arboretum in 2008 and hosted a regional planning meeting with members from the Atlanta Botanical Garden, UNC Chapel Hill, and UGA, Athens. Dr. McCoy was contracted by the US Forest Service to collect two federally listed rare species for long-term conservation efforts and will be developing propagation protocols for publication. We continue to maintain the national collection of Actaea racemosa (black cohosh) and have successfully funded a research project with Western Carolina University to develop a regional cultivar for area growers. Another successfully funded project with the Eastern band of Cherokee consists of developing a germplasm collection of native ramps (Allium tricoccum) on tribal lands for eventual cultivar selection and development specifically for area residents. Plant samples continued to be distributed to the laboratories of Dr. Jeff Schmitt during 2009 for cancer screening and publication of results are expected in 2010. PARTICIPANTS: In 2009, partner organizations and collaborators included: 1) ISU & USDA NCRPIS - Prunella vulgaris and Hypericum perforatum research; 2) NC Research Campus - UNC Chapel Hill, NCSU, UNCG - Medicinal Plant Research; 3) Wake Forest University - Medicinal Plant Research; 4) UNC Chapel Hill - Dr. K. Lee - Screening native plants for efficacy; 5) WCU - Use of Genetic Markers and Chemical Quantification to Identify Populations of A. racemosa With Desirable Properties fro Breeding a Regional Cultivar; 6) Auburn, Alabama A&M, Rutgers University - Alternative Crop development; 7) Mycosynthetix, NCBC, & NCI - Endophyte isolation, analysis, and identification; 8) NIST / FDA - collected and provided reference standards for medicinal taxa; 9) CPC (Center for Plant Conservation) - collection and long-term preservation of rare and threatened species; 10) CU - interstate collaboration, screening, analysis, and product development; collection trip to coastal areas with state botanists; 11) Rutgers - breeding, screening, analysis, crop development; 12) USDA/NIH - Collection and maintenance of Actaea racemosa (black cohosh) collection; 13) USFWS - Division of Scientific Authority (planning a collaborative project endorsed by USFS to develop collection of regionally threatened species; 14) Intern student to develop native medicinal project; 15) Collaborative project with the Cherokee Preservation Foundation to develop an Allium tricoccum germplasm collection; 16) Continued collaboration with Warren Wilson College training students in seed collection and storage protocols; 17) Submitted a Community Foundation Project - Regional conservation of endemic habitats for conservation; 18) Continued seed and sample collection from the Biltmore Estate in collaboration with Dr. Dan Pittillo. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
Funding obtained from the NC Biotechnology Center (NCBC), Buncombe County Administrative Fund, The Mission Healthcare Foundation, Inc, The NC Arboretum and The Bent Creek Institute enabled necessary funding to launch the first phase of the project. A germplasm facility, herbarium, seed processing lab, in vitro lab, and extraction facility have been developed at the BCGR located at the NC Arboretum in Asheville, NC. Plans are in place to expand rare seed collections of select regional species for longterm storage. Funding was procured to develop a regional germplasm collection of Allium tricoccum and to develop a regional cultivar of Actaea racemosa. Collaborative projects were initiated to experiment with production of Chinese medicinals as potential alternative specialty crops. Collaborative projects have been established with numerous regional and national research facilities for further development. All voucher samples collected are scanned at high resolution to develop a virtual herbarium for research and education purposes.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Joe-Ann McCoy continued as director of the Bent Creek Germplasm Repository (BCGR) at the NC Arboretum in 2009 by managing collection and maintenance of the accession collection. Field collection progressed rapidly with an additional 1,064 medicinal accessions added to the collection, culminating in a total of 1,475 accessions representing a broad range of species diversity. The main focus of collection emphasis remained on native medicinal flora with additional plans to focus on larger collections of specialty crops and rare species. The BCGR took over all CPC (Center for Plant Conservation) responsibilities at the NC Arboretum in 2008 and hosted a regional planning meeting with members from the Atlanta Botanical Garden, UNC Chapel Hill, and UGA, Athens. Dr. McCoy was contracted by the US Forest Service to collect two Federally listed rare species for long-term conservation efforts and will be developing propagation protocols for publication. We continue to maintain the national collection of Actaea racemosa (black cohosh) and have successfully funded a research project with Western Carolina University to develop a regional cultivar for area growers. Another successfully funded project with the Eastern band of Cherokee consists of developing a germplasm collection of native ramps (Allium tricoccum) on tribal lands for eventual cultivar selection and development specifically for area residents. Plant samples continued to be distributed to the laboratories of Dr. Jeff Schmitt during 2009 for cancer screening and publication of results are expected in 2010. Twenty three talks were given to various organizations in 2009 and a BCI project video was completed for distribution and is available via the Bent Creek Institute website. The website was maintained and updated throughout 2009, which includes quarterly newsletters and will be expanded in 2010. In 2009, 9 manuscripts and one book were reviewed for publication. An invitation to head the new USDA Medicinal Crop Germplasm Committee has been accepted and efforts are currently underway to hold the first annual meeting at the NC Arboretum in Asheville, NC. Six volunteers were trained and managed for 16 hours per week throughout 2009 to assist with voucher development, plant collection, data entry, and photography. Ten lab tours were conducted throughout 2009 to various organizations including native plant societies, regional students, granting agencies, and natural product companies. A total of nine grants were submitted in 2009 including two NIH, two USDA, and three NCBC grants and funding was procured to hire a technician. PARTICIPANTS: Partner organizations and collaborators included: 1.) ISU & USDA NCRPIS - Prunella vulgaris and Hypericum perforatum research; 2.) NC Research Campus - UNC Chapel Hill, NCSU, UNCG - Medicinal Plant Research; 3.) Wake Forest University - Medicinal Plant Research; 4.) UNC Chapel Hill - Dr. K. Lee - Screening native plants for efficacy; 5.) WCU -Use of Genetic Markers and Chemical Quantification to Identify Populations of A. racemosa With Desirable Properties fro Breeding a Regional Cultivar; 6.) Auburn, Alabama A&M, Rutgers University - Alternative Crop development; 7.) Mycosynthetix, NCBC, & NCI - Endophyte isolation, analysis, and identification; 8.) NIST / FDA - collect and provide reference standards for medicinal taxa; 9.) CPC (Center for Plant Conservation) - Collection and long-term preservation of rare and threatened species; 10.) CU - interstate collaboration, screening, analysis, and product development; collection trip to coastal areas with state botanists; 11.) Rutgers - breeding, screening, analysis, crop development; 12.) USDA/NIH - Collection and maintenance of Actaea racemosa (black cohosh) collection; 13.) USFWS - Division of Scientific Authority (planning a collaborative project endorsed by USFS to develop collection of regionally threatened species; 14.) Intern student to develop native medicinal project; 15.) Collaborative project with the Cherokee Preservation Foundation to developing an Allium tricoccum germplasm collection; 16.) Continue collaboration with Warren Wilson College training students in seed collection and storage protocols; 17.) Submit a Community Foundation Project - Regional conservation of endemic habitats for conservation; 18.) Continue seed and sample collection from the Biltmore Estate in collaboration with Dr. Dan Pittillo. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
Funding obtained from the NC Biotechnology Center (NCBC), Buncombe County Administrative Fund, The Mission Healthcare Foundation, Inc, and the NC Arboretum supported the second year of development for the BCGR. Funding obtained from the NCBC enabled the hiring of a new technician, Jeffry Levi in September, 2009 for the germplasm facility. Currently a germplasm facility, herbarium, seed processing lab, in vitro lab, and extraction facility have been developed at the BCGR located at the NC Arboretum in Asheville, NC. Plans are currently in place to expand rare seed collections of select regional species for longterm storage. Funding was procured to develop a regional germplasm collection of Allium tricoccum and to develop a regional cultivar of Actaea racemosa. A preproposal has been invited for full submission to develop an endophyte collection of regional medicinal taxa for research purposes. Collaborative projects have also been initiated to experiment with production of Chinese medicinals as potential alternative specialty crops. Collaborative projects have been established with numerous regional and national research facilities for further development. All voucher samples collected are scanned at high resolution to develop a virtual herbarium for research and education purposes.

Publications

• Huang, N., Hauck, C., Yum, M., Rizshsky, L., Widrlechner, M., McCoy, J., Murphy, P., Dixon, P., Nikolau, B., and Birt, D. 2009. Prunella vulgaris Ethanol Extract and Rosmarinic Acid Inhibit LPS-Induced Prostaglandin E2 Nitric Oxide in Mouse Macrophages. 57:10579-10589.
• Birt, D., Widrlechner, M., Hammer, K., Hillwig, M., Wei, J., Kraus, G., Murphy, P., McCoy, J.A., Wurtele, E., Neighbors, J., Wiemer, D., Maury, W., and Price, J. 2009. Hypericum in Infection: Identification of anti-viral and anti-inflammatory constituents. Pharmaceutical Biology. 47(8): 774-782.
• Brindley, M., Widrlechner, M., McCoy, J., Murphy, P., Hauck, C., and Maury, W. 2009. Inhibition of Lentivirus Replication by Aqueous Extracts of Prunella vulgaris. Virology Journal. 6(8):1-30.
• Published Abstracts: McCoy, J. 2009. A New Research Resource, The Bent Creek Medicinal Germplasm Facility at the NC Arboretum in Asheville, NC. American Society of Pharmacognosy. O-023.
• Clement, J., Willis, T., Kelly, R., McCoy, J., and Schmitt, J. 2009. Antitumor Activity of Aralia racemosa. Planta Medica. 75:P-97.
• McCoy, J. 2009. Development of the Bent Creek Medicinal Plant Germplasm Repository at the NC Arboretum for Collaborative Research and Conservation. Planta Medica. 75:P-19.
• McCoy, J. 2009. Establishing a new Southeastern Medicinal Germplasm Repository at the NC Arboretum. Economic Botany. 67
• McCoy, J. 2009. Seed and Rhizome Propagation Studies with Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) and Analysis of Associated Triterpene Glycosides. Appalachian Center for Ethnobotanical Studies Conference.

Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Dr. Joe-Ann McCoy commenced collection and development of the NC Medicinal Germplasm Repository at The North Carolina Arboretum in January 2008. The collection and curation of medicinal plant germplasm progressed effectively through the 2008 field season. Medicinal species collections currently under curation by the project include a broad range of medicinal taxa. During 2008, we received and/or collected 411 accessions. The main focus of field collection efforts in 2008 was regional (WNC) medicinal plants representing diverse habitats. We also procured three collections from external sources including a Chinese medicinal seed collection originating from the Asian collections of Robert Newman, an Echinacea collection representing Kathleen Mckeowns' research studies at NCSU, and a personal international voucher collection by Scott Taylor. We also acquired and currently maintain a complete living collection of Actaea racemosa (black cohosh) which Dr. McCoy brought from the NCRPIS / NIH project at ISU. The USDA donated $20,000 worth of control pollination cages which will permanently house the collection representing its entire native range. Two consulting collection trips were completed to WV for NIST and the FDA to collect reference samples of Pueraria lobata and Actaea racemosa. We hope to maintain a long-term collaborative collection agreement with NIST. Plant samples were distributed to the laboratory of Dr. Jeff Schmitt during 2008 for cancer screening at Wake Forest University. An MTA (Material Transfer Agreement) has been drafted and final revisions are necessary before developing distribution research with other collaborators. Dr. Schmitts' laboratory identified ten native species with interesting bioactivity against cancer cells in vitro which will be studied further. Various researchers have been identified for collaborative screening projects for 2009 and as the final MTA is completed and signed we will begin distributing samples for various screening experiments. Twelve talks were presented in 2008 giving public recognition to all funding sources including the NC Biotech Center, the Memorial Mission Hospital and its Community Health Enhancement Program, the Buncombe County Administrative Fund, NCSU and the NC Arboretum. A televison interview was completed and a video is currently underway to help describe the project and promote fund raising efforts. In 2008, 7 manuscripts and one book were reviewed for publication. Development of a robust interrelational database will begin to hold all pertinent data associated with accessions. USDA subsidiary status to attain national certification as a germplasm repository creating the first U.S. medicinal genebank and official national herbaria status is in process. An invitation to head the new Medicinal Crop Germplasm Committee has been extended and tentatively accepted. PARTICIPANTS: Partner Organizations, collaborators for 2008-2009 1)UNC Chapel Hill - Dr. K. Lee - Screening native plants for efficacy 2) Assist with Wake Forest cancer screening project 3)WCU - screening native medicinal flora 4)UNCA - Selection and Development of a Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) Regional Cultivar and development of a germplasm collection 5)Auburn, Alabama A&M, Rutgers University - Alternative Crop development 6) NCI (National Cancer Institute) - Endophyte isolation, analysis, and identification 7) NIST FDA - collect and provide reference standards for medicinal taxa 8)CU - interstate collaboration, screening, analysis, and product development, collection trip to coastal areas with state botanists 9)Rutgers - breeding, screening, analysis, crop development 10)USDA/NIH - Collection and maintenance of Actaea racemosa (black cohosh) collection 11)USFWS - Division of Scientific Authority (planning a collaborative project endorsed by USFS to develop collection of regionally threatened species 12)Post-Doc - have identified and will submit a grant to fund a post-doc researcher 13)Dr. Scott Pearson - Mars Hill College - Will assist with Ph.D. student from University of Wisconsin, Madison to develop regional project 14)Assist the Cherokee Preservation Foundation in developing a seed bank project 15)Continue Collaboration with Warren Wilson College training students in seed collection and storage protocols 16)Develop a Community Foundation Project - Regional conservation of endemic habitats for conservation 17)Active seed and sample collection from the Biltmore Estate in collaboration with Dr. Dan Pittillo will continue 18)All voucher samples will be scanned at high resolution to develop a virtual herbarium for public education purposes TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
Grant monies obtained from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center,Buncombe County Administrative Fund, The Mission Healthcare Foundation, Inc., The NC Arboretum, and The Bent Creek Institute. enabled necessary funding to launch the first phase of the project. Special efforts were focused on developing a genebank laboratory for collection and processing of a diverse range of flora (lichens, mosses, vascular and nonvascular plants, trees, shrubs etc.). In addition an in vitro laboratory has been developed to isolate and identify endophytes associated with species of interest and for developing bioassays. All medicinal plants collected will be checked to verify identifications and records will be entered into appropriate database. Vouchers are in process and seed are currently in process for vacuum sealing and long-term storage. All seed and voucher specimens will be scanned at high resolution and photos will be uploaded along with population data. Meetings with Cary Fowler of the Nordic Genebank project have resulted in an agreement to serve as a backup seed storage site along with the USDA cryopreservation facility in Fort Collins, Colorado. A primary goal for 2009 will be the hiring of a skilled technician for support of the collections, to oversee the production of well-documented, known-source raw materials for the various projects, and to help support the development of an in vitro laboratory. Funding sources have been identified to support the hire for two years.

Publications

• Brindley, M., Widrlechner, M., McCoy, J., Murphy, P., Hauck, C., Rizshsky, L., Nikolau, B., and Maury, W. 2008. Inhibition of lentivirus replication by aqueous extracts of Prunella vulgaris. Submitted. Virology Journal.