Comprehensive Identification of Rhubarb Species Based on DNA Barcoding and Multiple-Indicator Quantification
2024
Yifan Wang | Lin Yang | Zhao Yang | Min Zhang | Luyi Shen | Yiwen Lu | Jing Lin | Fan Tang | Qiong Jiang | Cheng Zhu | Leilei Zhang | Yanfei Ding
Rhubarb is a significant medicinal herb in China. Its adulteration or fabrication is common in the market. Consequently, it is necessary to establish a comprehensive identification method to accurately identify genuine rhubarb and its adulterants. In this study, the sequences of chloroplast genes <i>rps3-rpl22</i> and <i>rpl16</i> from three genuine rhubarbs (<i>Rheum tanguticum</i>, <i>Rh. palmatum</i> and <i>Rh. officinale</i>) and their adulterants (<i>Rumex japonicus</i> and <i>Rumex spp.</i>) were amplified, sequenced and subjected to genetic analyses. The genetic distances for <i>rps3-rpl22</i> and <i>rpl16</i> between genuine rhubarbs and their adulterants showed that there was an evident barcoding gap, which allowed the adulterants to be distinguished from the genuine rhubarbs, as demonstrated by a neighbor joining tree. Additionally, <i>Rh. officinale</i> could be distinguished from the other two genuine rhubarbs. The anthraquinone, sennoside, polysaccharide and protein contents were analyzed in seven rhubarbs using high-performance liquid chromatography and ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Cluster and principal component analyses results showed that <i>Rh. tanguticum</i> and <i>Rh. palmatum</i> could be effectively distinguished. The study suggests that DNA barcoding based on <i>rps3-rpl22</i> and <i>rpl16</i> sequences coupled with multiple-indicator quantification can be successfully applied to identify rhubarb species and distinguish among the three genuine rhubarbs, and this can provide a scientific foundation for rhubarb quality assurance.
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