Planta Med 2003; 69(6): 584-586
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-40632
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Authentication of Panax notoginseng by 5S-rRNA Spacer Domain and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Analysis

X. M. Cui1 , 2 , C. K. Lo1 , K. L. Yip1 , T. T. X. Dong1 , K. W. K. Tsim1
  • 1Department of Biology and Biotechnology Research Institute, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, P. R. China
  • 2Department of Pharmacognosy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P. R. China
Further Information

Publication History

Received: October 7, 2002

Accepted: January 25, 2003

Publication Date:
16 July 2003 (online)

Abstract

The great majority of Panax species are well-known herbal medicines in the Orient, and many of them share a close resemblance in appearance and chemical composition. Among these Panax species, the root of P. notoginseng (Sanqi) is a unique herb that has distinct clinical usage. Here, the 5S-rRNA spacer domains were isolated from P. notoginseng, P. japonicus var. major, P. stipuleanatus, P. quinquefolius, P. ginseng, P. zingiberensis, and P. wangianus, and four common adulterants of P. notoginseng including Curcuma wenyujin, Curcuma longa, Bletilla striata and Gynura segetum. The spacer domains were sequenced and compared, which showed over 75 % DNA identity among all Panax species, but not for the adulterants. In addition, random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to distinguish different members of Panax genus as well as the morphological variants of P. notoginseng. These molecular methods could be used in the authentic identification of P. notoginseng from other Panax species.

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Dr. Karl W. K. Tsim

Department of Biology

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Clear Water Bay Road

Hong Kong SAR

P. R. China

Fax: +(852) 2358-1559

Email: BOTSIM@UST.HK

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