Molecular characterization of Gymnema sylvestre using RAPD-PCR

Abstract

Herbal medicine is playing a major role in the control of many diseases, especially in developing countries like India. The conservation and utilization of these plants has attracted global attention. Diabetes mellitus is a endocrine syndrome which is characterized by insulin insufficiency or inefficiency. Besides many oral hypoglycemic drugs, there are certain anti-diabetic plants which can be used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Gymnema sylvestre is one of those anti-diabetic plants. To improve the cultivar of this Gymnema sylvestre, identification of their molecular markers should be done.  RAPD-PCR can generate these molecular markers. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the polymorphism that exists between five different ecotypes of Gymnema sylvestre. The RAPD-PCR was done with four primers.  All the primers gave satisfactory amplification with maximum number of bands except one. Some bands were monomorphic and some were polymorphic. Thus the result reveals the presence of genetic diversity among five ecotypes of G.sylvestre.

Keywords: Gymnema sylvestre, PCR, RAPD, DNA, anti diabetic plant

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