title: Molecular diversity and hypoglycemic polypeptide-P content of Momordica charantia in different accessions and different seasons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Momordica charantia (MC) has been used for treating diabetes mellitus from ancient times in Asia, Africa and South America. There are many MC accessions in local markets. Polypeptide-P as a main hypoglycemic component in MC was first studied in this experiment to illustrate the different contents in MC of different accessions and different harvesting times.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen MC accessions collected from different regions were clustered into three groups using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers. Content of polypeptide-P in the tested MC accessions was detected by western blot (WB) method. The WB results revealed that polypeptide-P was detected in MC accessions harvested in June and July but not in September and October. Furthermore, Polypeptide-P content corresponded well with the MC accessions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the MC accessions and the harvesting times or the weather during harvest play significant roles in high content of polypeptide-P.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Xiang-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Huan-Lei
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Shan-Xin
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Fu-Jun
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhi-Bi
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia; D015153:Blotting, Western; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000032:analysis; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D029777:Momordica charantia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D012621:Seasons; D014887:Weather
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010455:Peptides
keywords: Momordica charantia; inter-simple sequence repeat; polypeptide-P; random amplified polymorphic DNA