Abstract
Radix Astragali has been an important traditional Chinese herbal medicine for over 2000 years. It is derived from two plant species, namely, Astragalus mongholicus [Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao] and Astragalus membranaceus [Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge.] (Leguminosae ), according to the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China. In this study, the genetic diversity and genetic relationships of Radix Astragali in China were analyzed by Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. A total of 25 highly polymorphic ISSR primers were selected to amplify 95 Radix Astragali samples. Among 273 DNA bands amplified, 213 are polymorphic (percentage of polymorphic bands: 78%). The average value of the amplified bands was 10.9 for each primer, and the number varied from 4 to 20. The genetic diversity of the 95 Radix Astragali samples was analyzed by using POPGENE 1.32 software. The Nei’s genetic diversity index (h) and Shannon’s information index (I ) were 0.3590 and 0.5308, respectively, which indicated the abundant genetic diversity of Radix Astragali . The level of genetic diversity in A. membranaceus (h: 0.3109, I : 0.4657) was slightly lower than that in A. mongholicus (h: 0.3364, I : 0.4969). Considering the average genetic similarity coefficient by NTSYS analysis to cluster the A. membranaceus of nine habitats and A. mongholicus of five habitats, Radix Astragali samples were clustered into two groups according to place of origin. This clustering is different from traditional clustering, which divides groups according to species. Results obtained from this study will provide a theoretical basis for the molecular study on germplasm resources of Radix Astragali .
Highlights
Radix Astragali, which has a long history of medicinal use, is derived from Astragalus mongholicus and Astragalus membranaceus [1]
The results of this study were consistent with the findings (A. mongholicus, h: 0.822; A. membranaceus, h: 0.689) of the research on genetic diversity of the two species by SSR molecular marker [15]
Compared with a relevant research [16], we speculated that A. mongholicus had a higher level of genetic diversity
Summary
Radix Astragali, which has a long history of medicinal use, is derived from Astragalus mongholicus and Astragalus membranaceus [1]. The qualitative difference between wild and cultivated Astragalus owing to the determination of genuine raw materials results in significant difference in market price, which leads to excavation of wild herbs. The artificial cultivation of Astragalus has achieved success, the qualitative and quantitative demands of raw material for medicine have greatly increased with the development of new drugs, medicine, and health products. Astragalus cultivation has produced hybrid varieties with unstable yield and low quality. This phenomenon has seriously affected the further development of Astragalus industry. This preliminary study on Astragalus from different habitats was conducted to evaluate its genetic diversity by using the ISSR labeling technique. The findings will provide a theoretical basis for formulating Astragalus genetic diversity research, conservation strategies, and cross breeding
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