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Planta Med 2008; 74(8): 889-892
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1074551
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Authentication of Saussurea lappa, an Endangered Medicinal Material, by ITS DNA and 5S rRNA Sequencing

Feng Chen1 , 5 , Ho-Yin Edwin Chan1 , Ka-Lok Wong1 , 3 , Jun Wang1 , Man-Tang Yu3 , 4 , Paul Pui-Hay But2 , 3 , Pang-Chui Shaw1 , 3
  • 1Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, P. R. China
  • 2Department of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, P. R. China
  • 3Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, P. R. China
  • 4Qinghai High Altitude Medical Science Institute, Xining, Qinghai, P. R. China
  • 5Present address: Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Florida, USA
Further Information

Publication History

Received: December 10, 2007 Revised: April 10, 2008

Accepted: April 15, 2008

Publication Date:
06 June 2008 (online)

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Abstract

Wild Saussurea lappa in the family Asteraceae is a highly endangered plant. On the other hand, the dried root of cultivated S. lappa (Radix Aucklandia, Muxiang) is a popular medicinal material for treating various gastrointestinal diseases. In the market, several medicinal plants including Vladimiria berardioidea, V. souliei, V. souliei var. mirabilis, Inula helenium and I. racemosa in the family Asteraceae and Aristolochia debilis in the family Aristolochiaceae have the trade name of Muxiang. To manage the concerned medicinal material, we investigated if the ITS and 5S rRNA intergenic spacers are effective for discriminating S. lappa from its substitutes and adulterants. Sequencing results showed that the similarities of ITS-1, ITS-2 and 5S rRNA intergenic spacers among S. lappa and related species were 56.3 – 97.8 %, 58.5 – 97.0 %, and 26.4 – 77.9 %, respectively. The intraspecific variation was much lower. There are also several unique changes in the S. lappa sequences that may be used as differentiation markers.

Key words

Saussurea lappa - Asteraceae - ITS-1 - ITS-2 - 5S rRNA spacer - authentication

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Prof. Dr. Pang-Chui Shaw

Department of Biochemistry

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Shatin, N.T.

Hong Kong

People’s Republic of China

Phone: +852/2609/6803

Fax: +852/2603/5123

Email: pcshaw@cuhk.edu.hk

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