POPULATION CYTOGENETICS III. CYTOMORPHOLOGY AND HPTLC FINGERPRINTING IN DIFFERENT MORPHOTYPES OF “INDIAN GINSENG” WITHANIA SOMNIFERA (L.) DUNAL FROM NORTH INDIA.

W. somnifera (L.) Dunal. (Solanaceae), highly valued and one of the most extensively used herbal tonic, health food in Ayurvedas and considered as "Indian Ginseng". The objective of the present study was to investigate the cytomorphological variations of germplasm from different study areas and also to find out the chemical characterization among the selected morphotypes. Out of all these collected germplasms, two cytotypes and two morphotypes were studied. Among these two cytotypes diploid (2n=24) and tetraploid (2n=48), the tetraploid cytotype showed highly abnormal microsporogenesis le. (Cytomixis, Bridges and Laggards). On the other hand in the diploid (2n=24) cytotype, the detailed meiotic course is normal with equal distribution of chromosomes at A-1, normal microsporogenesis with high pollen fertility.

Along with these, two morphotypes were also identified within the tetraploid cytotype. The major chemical constituents reported from this plant are with anolides in which with aferin A and with anolide A are most important for polyherbal formulations. Thus to check the quantity of these two chemical constituents, a simple, sensitive, and accurate high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method has been developed for the estimation of withaferin A and withanolide A in different plant parts such as leaf, root, stem and fruit of these two morphotypes I and II. The better resolution was achieved by using mobile phase Toluene: Ethyl acetate: Formic acid (5:5:1).

Generally roots are considered to be enriched with bioactive with anolides. In the present study, the maximum contents of withafer in A and with anolide A were observed in leaves which are remarkable source. The present work is an attempt to establish a link between cytomorphological variabilities and chemical characterization and to find out the best genotype for the society to fulfill the requirement of the polyherbal formulations of Ashwagandha in India and abroad.