Application of DNA barcoding to the entire traditional Chinese medicine industrial chain: A case study of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma

Tianyi Xin; Ranjun Li; Qian Lou; Yulin Lin; Hai Liao; Wei Sun; Meng Guan; Jiayu Zhou; Jingyuan Song

doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154375

Application of DNA barcoding to the entire traditional Chinese medicine industrial chain: A case study of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma

Phytomedicine. 2022 Oct:105:154375. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154375. Epub 2022 Aug 2.

Authors

Tianyi Xin¹, Ranjun Li², Qian Lou¹, Yulin Lin¹, Hai Liao³, Wei Sun⁴, Meng Guan⁵, Jiayu Zhou³, Jingyuan Song⁶

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource of Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China.
² Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource of Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; School of Life and Science, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China.
³ School of Life and Science, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100070, China.
⁵ Sinopharm Traditional Chinese Medicine Co., Ltd., Beijing 100097, China.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource of Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicine Utilization, Yunnan Branch Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinghong 666100, China. Electronic address: jysong@implad.ac.cn.

PMID: 35952576
DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154375

Abstract

Background: Safety concerns, caused by complex and unpredictable adulterants, run through the entire industrial chain of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). However, the conventional circulation traceability system only focuses on a certain end or link at the back end of the TCM industrial chain, ignoring the integrity of the links cross the entire industrial chain and lacking traceability. In consequence, a strict and rational supervision system is urgently required for the entire industrial chain.

Hypothesis/purpose: We hypothesize that DNA barcoding would be a suitable measure for the traceability of adulterants in the entire TCM industrial chain.

Methods: In this study, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma was selected as a model to establish a traceability system for the entire TCM industrial chain. A total of 110 samples, including leaves, seeds, roots, decoction pieces, and traditional Chinese patent medicines (TCPMs), were collected upstream, midstream, and downstream of the entire industrial chain of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma. The ndhF-rpl32 fragment rather than the universal DNA barcodes, which could not distinguish the three original species of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, was selected as a specific DNA barcode to evaluate the practical application of DNA barcoding in the chain.

Results: The results showed that the ndhF-rpl32 fragment in all samples could be amplified and bi-directionally sequenced. Based on the standard operating procedures of DNA barcoding, the ndhF-rpl32 fragment clearly distinguished the seven Rheum species collected upstream of the entire industrial chain. For the samples collected midstream and downstream of the entire industrial chain, 25% of the 36 commercial decoction pieces samples were identified as adulterants, whereas the eight TCPM samples were all derived from genuine Rhei Radix et Rhizoma.

Conclusions: This study shows that DNA barcoding is a powerful and suitable technology that can be applied to trace TCMs in the entire industrial chain, thereby assuring clinical medication safety.

Keywords: DNA barcoding; Entire industrial chain; Rhei Radix et Rhizoma; Species identification; ndhF-rpl32.

MeSH terms

DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic
Drugs, Chinese Herbal*
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
Rheum*
Rhizome

Substances

Drugs, Chinese Herbal