Identification of flower herbs in Chinese pharmacopoeia based on DNA barcoding / 中草药·英文版

ABSTRACT

Objective: Flower herbs are an important category of traditional Chinese medicinal materials, some of which are used as healthcare tea in folk. However, the increasing adulteration of medicinal herbs is threatening consumer safety. The adulteration of flower herbs and their healthcare tea products in the market were investigated. Methods: A total of 33 flower herb samples from several retail pharmacies in China were randomly collected and 27 flower healthcare tea samples were purchased online. They were identified using ITS2-based Traditional Chinese Medicine Database (TCMD). Additionally, Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and the adulterants were compared in the ITS2 secondary structures. Results: There were one adulterant (Inulae Flos) in flower herb materials and eight adulterants in healthcare tea samples. Inula linariifolia was an adulterate species of Inulae Flos, Robinia pseudoacacia was of Sophorae Flos, and Lonicera macranthoides was of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. Sophorae Flos and Lonicerae Japonicae Flos were two healthcare tea products with high adulteration rates. Conclusion: The TCMD is powerful tool to identify flower herbs and the adulterants that frequently occurred in the flower herb market, especially online shops.