GENETIC DIVERSITY AND ALKALOIDS PROFILE EVALUATION OF CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS L. BASED ON RAPD MOLECULAR MARKERS AND RP- HPLC ANALYSIS

Abstract

Catharanthus roseus is a medicinal plant, which main source of two antitumor terpeniods indole alkaloids (TIAs) vinblastine and vincristine. The aims of this study were to assess genetic diversity and alkaloids profiles using RAPD molecular markers and fast liquid chromatographic C18 column for the separation and identification of TIAs and their precursors for twelve C. roseus cultivars grown in Iraq. Genetic similarity between C. roseus cultivars ranged between 69% - 100%. Pacifica xp Burgundy Halo and Pacifica xp Cherry Red Halo had lowest genetic distance (0.0) with highest similarity value (100%).
The quantification of Vincristine, Vinblastine and their precursors Vindoline and Catharanthine of the same two cultivars had almost the same alkaloids profile with slight difference in Vindoline percentage. The dendrogram assembled on the basis of RAPD band showed that the Iraqi cultivar was isolated from the rest eleven cultivars. This research was the first attempt linking between genetic diversity and (TIAs) vinblastine and vincristine content.