Application of DNA barcode ITS2to identify herbal medicinal materials

Nowadays, the demand for using herb plants to treat and protect human health is increasing. Along with the growing herbal market, the adulteration of herbal medicinal materials is increasing in many countries, including Vietnam. It is difficult to determine the origin of herbal medicinal materials by morphological or chemical methods when they are substituted by herbs from closely related species or adulterated intentionally by materials from unrelated plants or processed materials. Therefore, it is necessary to use molecular methods based on DNA markers. ITS is a highly conservative nuclear ribosomal marker that has been widely used in the identification of plant species. In this study, the ITS2 marker was used to identify 8 herbal medicinal materials, including 2 samples of polyscias(DLTN, DLBG), 2 samples of morinda (BKTN, BKQN), 2 samples of black zingiber (GDTN, GDYB) and 2 samples of black curcuma (NDTN, NDYB). Gene analysis and sequencing results showed that the DLTN and DLBG were Polyscias fruticosa; BKTN and BKQN were different species, Gynochthodes officinalis (BKTN) and Morinda officinalis (BKQN); GDTN and GDYB were Kaempferia parviflora; NDTN and NDYB were Curcuma caesia. The research results show that the ITS2 indicator can be used to identify medicinal species.