Molecular identification of medicinal plants: Dendrobium chrysanthum, Dendrobium fimbriatum and their morphologically allied species by PCR-RFLP analyses / 药学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>AIM</b>To establish a simple method for molecular identification of original plants of D. chrysanthum and D. fimbriatum using molecular marker rDNA ITS region.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Restriction patterns of ITS fragments were obtained using PCR-RFLP method. The PCR products of D. chrysanthum and its morphologically allied species were digested at 37 degrees C by Cla I and Apa LI, those of D. fimbriatum and its morphologically allied species were digested by Sph I.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>D. chrysanthum, D. fimbriatum and their morphologically allied species could be identified by predicted restriction profiles of PCR-RFLP. The botanical origin of twenty-five fresh samples of "Shihu" collected in markets was identified by this method.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results showed that PCR-RFLP analysis of the rDNA ITS region is a feasible, simple and inexpensive method for determining the botanical origin of the traditional Chinese medicine "Shihu".</p>