Gymnemic acids: Sources, properties, and biotechnological production

Abstract

Gymnemic acids (GAs) obtained from Gymnema sylvestre are the triterpenoid saponin glycosides, typically found in India and China. They have a wide array of medicinal applications, such as stimulator of pancreatic β-cells, inhibitor of α-glucosidase enzyme, and inhibitor of protein biosynthesis by interacting with ribosome machinery. Further, it possesses numerous biological properties, such as lipid-lowering, antimicrobial, antioxidative, and antidiabetic activities. The plant is not able to generate a huge amount of the secondary metabolite, GA to maintain the market demand. The environmental factors like global warming, disturbance between flora and fauna, frequent climatic change, and depletion of ozone layer are the main causes behind this scarcity. To make up the demand of secondary metabolites and save an indigenous plant species, biotechnology is the only way using cultures of callus and cell suspension, and different biotic-abiotic elicitation process involving plant hormones like auxin, gibberellins, phytoalexin, and phytoanticipins and some endophytic fungi.