Development of a reliable DNA method for quality control of Glehnia littoralis and its industrial extracts

Abstract

As a medicinal and edible plant, Glehnia littoralis has been widely recognized for its comprehensive nutritional properties and pharmaceutical effects, but it has also been the target of fraudulent practices. To overcome the difficulties in unanimous polymorphism exploitation of the adulterants and DNA degradation of industrial extracts, ribosomal ITS and chloroplast trnL-F gene sequences were targeted for molecular analysis. Based on the developed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, two species-specific PCR systems were respectively established and proved to be effective for molecular discrimination of G. littoralis from its adulterants. The SNP marker exploited in trnL-F region was able to detect 0.1% of intentional adulteration of genomic DNA with a detection limit of 0.01 ng, and it is effective for botanical origin authentication of G. littoralis industrial extracts either in single or mixed plant samples. Compared with the other molecular protocols so far used, the established DNA method enabled the accurate authentication and standardization of routine work for quality control of G. littoralis and its industrial products.