Planta Med 2001; 67(5): 461-465
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-15821
Original Paper
Analysis
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Phylogenetic Analysis Based on 18S rRNA Gene and matK Gene Sequences of Panax vietnamensis and Five Related Species

Katsuko Komatsu1,*, Shu Zhu1 , Hirotoshi Fushimi1 , Tran Kim Qui2 , Shaoqing Cai3 , Shigetoshi Kadota1
  • 1 Institute of Natural Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan
  • 2 Applied Chemistry Research Center, Vietnam National University-HCM city, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • 3 Department of Natural Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
Further Information

Publication History

July 25, 2000

December 2, 2000

Publication Date:
31 December 2001 (online)

Abstract

Panax vietnamensis was discovered recently in Vietnam. Its bamboo-like rhizomes, called Vietnamese Ginseng, have attracted considerable attention because of their specific pharmacological activities. In order to define the taxonomic position of this new species and include it in the molecular authentication of Ginseng drugs, the 18S ribosomal RNA gene and matK gene sequences of P. vietnamensis were determined and compared with those of its related taxa, P. japonicus var. major and P. pseudo-ginseng subsp. himalaicus, besides previously reported P. ginseng, P. japonicus and P. quinquefolius. The 18S rRNA gene sequences were found to be 1809 bps in length. The sequence of P. vietnamensis was identical to that of P. quinquefolius, and presented one base substitution from those of both P. japonicus var. major and P. pseudo-ginseng subsp. himalaicus. The matK gene sequences of 6 taxa were found to be 1509 bps in length. The sequence of P. vietnamensis differed from those of P. japonicus var. major, P. pseudo-ginseng subsp. himalaicus, P. ginseng, P. japonicus and P. quinquefolius at 4, 5, 9, 9 and 10 nucleotide positions, respectively. The phylogenetic tree reconstructed by the combined 18S rRNA-matK gene analysis using the maximum parsimony method showed that P. vietnamensis was sympatric with other Panax species and had a close relationship with P. japonicus var. major and P. pseudo-ginseng subsp. himalaicus.

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Dr. Katsuko Komatsu

Institute of Natural Medicine

Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University

2630 Sugitani

Toyama

930 - 0194 Toyama

Japan

Email: katsukok@ms.toyama-mpu.ac.jp

Fax: +81-76-434-5064

Phone: Tel: +81-76-434-7645