Centre for Pharmacognosy, Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology Institute of Ayurveda & Integrative Medicine (I-AIM) Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), Bangalore-560106, India.
*For Correspondence -padma.venkat@frlht.org
Coscinium fenestratum Gaertn. (Menispermaceae), commonly known as ‘tree turmeric’, is an endangered plant species used in Traditional Systems of Medicine in Asia to treat diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, tetany etc. Market survey in India indicates Berberis aristata, B. asiatica, B. lycium of family Berberidaceae and Morinda umbellata (Rubiaceae) are traded as substitutes or adulterants of C. fenestratum. To strengthen the pharmacognosy parameters, molecular identification of C. fenestratum was performed based on the nuclear DNA ITS (internal transcribed spacer) sequence. Subsequently, a species-specific DNA marker was developed for easy identification of C. fenestratum. The marker developed can be used as a molecular pharmacognosy tool in quality control of herbal raw drugs.
Coscinium fenestratum, ITS sequence, Adulterants, DNA marker, Pharmacognosy, Quality Control
