International Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences (ISSN 2226-9614)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
VOLUME 27(21) (2025)
DNA Marker Based Identification and Antimicrobial Activity of Euphorbia helioscopia from Azad Kashmir
Asma Nawaz1, Zahid Mushtaq1*, Sadia Shabbir1, Natasha Erum1, Sabooha Shafique1, Muhammad Tahir Shahzad1, Maham Siddiqa1, Amna Shahid Awan1
1Bioactive Molecules Research Lab (BMRL), Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan.
Abstract
Genus spurge (Euphorbia) is distributed throughout the world, whereas Azad Kashmir is recognized as one of the distribution centers of this genus. Euphorbia species are used as traditional medicine, however, the similarity and complexity of morphological characters in many Euphorbia species make the identification process difficult. DNA barcoding has become an efficacious tool for species identification based on standardized DNA markers. The present research was focused on identifying the Euphorbia helioscopia by using universal primers of rbcL gene via Phylogenetic study. DNA was extracted from the leaves followed by PCR amplification and sequencing was done by Sanger’s method. Antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Pasteurella multocida (gram negative), Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis (gram positive) and antifungal against Aspergillus niger were done by using the xylene extract. The BLAST results showed up to 96.41% similarity with E. helioscopia as per data available on NCBI. The sequence was submitted to NCBI with accession number MZ708964. A phylogenetic analysis was carried out by using the neighbor joining method. Xylene extract of E. helioscopia (X.Eu-S) showed maximum zone of inhibition (ZOI) (40.47 mm) against E. coli. Similarly, against B. subtilis and P. multicodia, it showed ZOI of 38.6 mm and 37.38 mm, respectively. While S. aureus showed 27.07 mm ZOI with X.Eu-S and A. niger showed 54.3 mm ZOI. On the basis of molecular approach, it is confirmed that the Euphorbia helioscopia is present in (Dadyal) Azad Kashmir approving the evaluation of the evolutionary relationship of Euphorbia helioscopia with other Euphorbia species. Furthermore, the antimicrobial behavior of E. helioscopia indicates that this plant has the potential to fight against microbes and can be used as a medicine.
Keywords: Euphorbia helioscopia; rbcL; Molecular identification; Anti-microbial activity; Xylene Extract.
Full length article *Corresponding Author, e-mail: zahidmushtaquaf@uaf.edu.pk, Doi # https://doi.org/10.62877/42-IJCBS-25-27-21-42