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Planta Med 1995; 61(5): 466-469
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-958138
Paper

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Authentication of Panax Species and their Adulterants by Random-Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction

Pang-Chui Shaw1 , Paul Pui-Hay But2
  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Chinese Medicinal Material Research Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
  • 2Department of Biology and Chinese Medicinal Material Research Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
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Publication History

1994

1995

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

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Abstract

DNA from dried or fresh roots of three medicinal Panax species and their adulterants were amplified by AP-PCR or RAPD. Fingerprints for P. ginseng or P. quinquefolius were found to be consistent irrespective of plant source or age. On the other hand, very different fingerprints were obtained from adulterants. Hence the PCR approach may be used as a means to authenticate the concerned Panax species. Analysis of the degree of similarity of the fingerprints confirmed that P. ginseng is more closely related to P. quinquefolius than to P. notoginseng.

Key words

AP-PCR - Araliaceae - ginseng roots - Panax species - polymerase chain reaction - RAPD