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The isolation of intact and high-molecular mass genomic DNA is an initial and essential step for many molecular biology applications like restriction enzyme fingerprinting, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) etc. The presence of essential oils, polysaccharides, polyphenols and other secondary metabolites in the medicinal plants can hamper and reduce the yield and purity of extracted DNA. In this protocol, we describe simple modifications to the conventional cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method for reliable isolation of high molecular weight genomic DNA from Gloriosa superba - a potent medicinal plant. The purity of genomic DNA was confirmed by excellent absorbance (A260/A280) ratio of ~1.8 calculated from the spectrophotometric readings and the DNA concentration ranged from 75 to 308 µg/g of leaves. The PCR amplification from the isolated DNA was optimized to produce clear amplification in all the germplasm tested as mentioned in our earlier research. Besides being rapid, effective and technically easy, the protocol can also be used for the isolation of genomic DNA from other crop plants too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageratum conyzoides L. (Family—Asteraceae) is an annual aromatic invasive herb, mainly distributed over the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It owns a reputed history of indigenous remedial uses, including as a wound dressing, an antimicrobial, and mouthwash as well as in treatment of dysentery, diarrhea, skin diseases, etc. In this review, the core idea is to present the antifungal potential of the selected medicinal plant and its secondary metabolites against different fungal pathogens. Additionally, toxicological studies (safety profile) conducted on the amazing plant A. conyzoides L. are discussed for the possible clinical development of this medicinal herb. Articles available from 2000 to 2020 were reviewed in detail to exhibit recent appraisals of the antifungal properties of A. conyzoides. Efforts were aimed at delivering evidences for the medicinal application of A. conyzoides by using globally recognized scientific search engines and databases so that an efficient approach for filling the lacunae in the research and development of antifungal drugs can be adopted. After analyzing the literature, it can be reported that the selected medicinal plant effectively suppressed the growth of numerous fungal species, such as Aspergillus, Alternaria, Candida, Fusarium, Phytophthora, and Pythium, owing to the presence of various secondary metabolites, particularly chromenes, terpenoids, flavonoids and coumarins. The possible mechanism of action of different secondary metabolites of the plant against fungal pathogens is also discussed briefly. However, it was found that only a few studies have been performed to demonstrate the plant's dosage and safety profile in humans. Considered all together, A. conyzoides extract and its constituents may act as a promising biosource for the development of effective antifungal formulations for clinical use. However, in order to establish safety and efficacy, additional scientific research is required to explore chronic toxicological effects of ageratum, to determine the probability of interactions when used with different herbs, and to identify safe dosage. The particulars presented here not only bridge this gap but also furnish future research strategies for the investigators in microbiology, ethno-pharmacology, and drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]