Discrimination of Curcuma species from Asia using intron length polymorphism markers in genes encoding diketide-CoA synthase and curcumin synthase

In this study, to elucidate specific molecular markers of medicinally usedCurcuma species in Asia, and to solve the confusion on the reported botanical origin of crude drugs, molecular analysis based on the intron length polymorphism (ILP) in genes encoding diketide-CoA synthase and curcumin synthase and thetrnK intron sequences was performed using 59 plant specimens and 42 crude drug samples from 13Curcuma species, obtained from Asian countries. The ILP patterns of the respective species from both plant specimens and crude drug samples revealed high consistency inC. aromatica,C. zedoaria,C. phaeocaulis,C. aeruginosa,C. wenyujin, andC. zanthorrhiza, but showed intraspecies polymorphism inC. longa,C. kwangsiensis,C. amada,C. mangga andC. comosa. TheC. longa specimens and samples were separated into three subgroups which were highly consistent with their geographical origins. Based on the ILP markers and thetrnK intron sequences, the botanical origins of “Khamin oi” from Thailand were correctly determined to beC. longa or a hybrid betweenC. longa and other species, and “Wan narn kum” from Thailand and “Kasturi manjal” from India were correctly determined to beC. zanthorrhiza.
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research