Molecular authentication of medicinal Epimedium species——A case of diagnostic PCR authentication of Epimedium koreanum

Abstract

To establish the allele-specific diagnostic PCR methods for Epimedium koreanum. ITS of eight medicinal Epimedium species were sequenced and downloaded from GenBank, and aligned to find the specific sites in E. koreanum. The diagnostic primers were designed based on the sites, and used to amplify all the samples, then verified with the crude drugs and decoction pieces from market. Two pairs of allele-specific diagnostic primers were successfully used to indentify E. koreanum from other medicinal species, and also can be used to identify the crude drugs and decoction pieces.