Species authentication of Panax ginseng C.A. Mey. and ginseng extracts using mitochondrial nad2 intron 4 region

Species authentication of Panax ginseng C.A. Mey. and its commercial products is vital for ensuring its therapeutic efficacy and food safety. To address the limitations of previous DNA methods in identifying ginseng products with severe DNA degradation, a multiplex PCR assay was established based on the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers exploited from the mitochondrial nad2 intron 4 region. This assay, which requires neither expensive equipment nor sequence analysis of PCR products, can detect 0.1% adulteration of P. quinquefolius or P. notoginseng down to a 0.001 ng level of template DNA. The developed assay proved effective in authenticating the botanical origin of commercial ginseng extracts without generating false-negative results under traditional PCR conditions. Therefore, the present study provides a valuable technical reference for regulating adulteration in commercial ginseng products, and the methodology can be applied in species authentication of other herbal products.