Chemical Characterization and DNA Fingerprinting of Griffonia simplicifolia Baill

Griffonia simplicifolia Baill. (Caesalpiniaceae) is a medicinal plant whose seeds are widely used in traditional medicine for their high content of 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan (5-HTP), a direct precursor and enhancer of the activity of the brain hormone serotonin (5-HT). The plant extracts are used in dietary supplements aimed to alleviate serotonin-related disorders.

In order to characterize the chemical components of G. simplicifolia seeds and their identity, we used a combined methodology by using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS for the qualitative and quantitative determination of the N-containing compounds, GC-FID and GC-MS for the characterization of the major fatty acids, and DNA fingerprinting based on PCR⁻RFLP for the unequivocal identification of the plant.

5-HTP was the most representative compound, followed by lower percentages of the β-carboline alkaloid derivative griffonine and other alkaloids. Fatty acids were dominated by the unsaturated fatty acids linoleic acid and oleic acid, followed by the saturated fatty acids stearic and palmitic acids. PCR analysis of the internal transcribed spacer amplified sequence showed a major band at about 758 bp, whereas the PCR⁻RFLP analysis of this sequence using three different restriction enzymes (MspI, HhaI, and HaeIII) generated a specific fingerprinting useful for the plant identification.

The combined chemical and molecular analysis of G. simplicifolia provided an interesting integrated approach for the unequivocal identification of commercial G. simplicifolia seeds.