Sumit Govil

Metabolomic and Biotechnological approaches to determine therapeutic potential of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal: A Review

BACKGROUND Withania somnifera, a high value medicinal plant is a major source of pharmaceutically important active compounds withanolides. Withania somnifera has been used in ayurveda as health restorative and anabolic agent besides having anti-arthritic, antidepressant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-stress, neuroprotective and cardio-protective activities. HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE The mining of the compound(s) of interest offers opportunity to identify desired attributes in the therapeutic area of interest. Metabolomic has become an important tool in the field of pharmacological and functional genomics of medicinal plants. The analysis supports the information regarding differential outline of the gene expression for increasing important withanolides viz. withanolide A and withaferin A in W. somnifera. STUDY DESIGN The bioinformatics and biotechnological approaches viz. tissue culture, genetic transformation, genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, gene mining and metabolomic studies have opened new windows about engineering of withanolide production. METHODS Target and network analysis for maximum therapeutic potential of Withania somnifera have been determined by employing Genemania software for finding interactions among various human genes that are being affected by active constituents. RESULTS Some of the major bioactive compounds of Withania somnifera have been discussed on protein-protein, protein-DNA and genetic interactions with respect to gene and protein expression data, protein domains, metabolic profiling, root organ culture, genetic transformation and phenotypic screening profiles CONCLUSION: The implementation of latest bioinformatic tools in combination with biotechnological techniques for breeding platforms are important in conservation of medicinal plant species in danger. The current review is based on molecular and in vitro methodologies employed in W. somnifera for accepting their importance in the improvement of this valuable medicinal species.