Validation of Phytolacca americana contamination in commercial root products of Platycodon grandiflorus, Panax ginseng, and Codonopsis lanceolata using species-specific molecular markers

초록

Platycodon grandiflorus, Panax ginseng, and Codonopsis lanceolate are widely used medicinal plants across East Asia owing to the well-established pharmacological properties of their roots. However, morphological similarities between the roots of these medicinal plants and those of the toxic species, Phytolacca americana, can result in unintentional admixtures during harvesting or distribution. To validate Ph. americana adulteration, this study aimed to develop species-specific DNA markers suitable for quantitative real-time PCR analysis for the accurate detection of Ph. americana in commercial products containing Pl. grandiflorus, P. ginseng, or C. lanceolata. The designed primers showed amplification efficiencies of 92.27-105.09%, slopes between - 3.21 and - 3.52, and high linearity (R-2 > 0.99) between Cq values and DNA concentrations. Robustness and reproducibility were validated using 15 commercial products and 24 blind test samples. The developed primers could function as reliable molecular tools to prevent adulteration with toxic plant species, enhancing food safety and public health.

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