DNA barcoding for the discrimination of Uncaria gambir and its closely related species using internal transcribed spacer genes

Background: Uncaria gambir is one Uncaria species that exclusively grows in Indonesia. The phytochemical constituents of this have been widely explored and its extracts are used as traditional medicine. However, the relationship between Uncaria gambir other still unknown. DNA barcoding was study to reveal relationship. Methods: Genomic isolated from four main cultivated variants ITS primer amplify specific gene region. Genetic distance analysis carried out on 12 other Uncaria species. A phylogenetic tree created determine among species using maximum likelihood method. Results: The successfully amplified region gambir. analyses showed has a close with scandens, yunnanensis, macrophylla which also indicated by Interspecific analysis. Conclusions: Although gap absent genetic analysis, can differentiate species.