TaqMan Probe-Based Quantitative Real-Time PCR to Detect Panax notoginseng in Traditional Chinese Patent Medicines

Qian Lou; Tianyi Xin; Wenjie Xu; Ranjun Li; Jingyuan Song

doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.828948

TaqMan Probe-Based Quantitative Real-Time PCR to Detect Panax notoginseng in Traditional Chinese Patent Medicines

Front Pharmacol. 2022 May 24:13:828948. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.828948. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Qian Lou¹, Tianyi Xin¹, Wenjie Xu¹, Ranjun Li¹, Jingyuan Song^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
² Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
³ Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicine Utilization, Yunnan Branch Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinghong, China.

Abstract

Background: There has been global concern about the safety and accuracy of traditional Chinese patent medicines (TCPMs). Panax notoginseng, also known as sanqi, is an important constituent of TCPMs. However, identifying the species contained in TCPMs is challenging due to the presence of multiple ingredients and the use of various preparation processes. Objective: To detect P. notoginseng in TCPMs. Methods: A TaqMan probe-based qPCR assay was constructed and validated with DNA extracted from P. notoginseng and adulterants. In total, 75 samples derived from 25 batches of TCPMs were tested using the constructed qPCR method. Results: A TaqMan probe-based qPCR assay targeting P. notoginseng was established. The constructed qPCR assay could specifically discriminate P. notoginseng from Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolium and Curcuma aromatica Salisb. cv. Wenyujin. The sensitivity study showed that the detectable DNA template concentration of P. notoginseng for this qPCR assay was 0.001 ng/μl. All 75 samples from TCPMs were confirmed to contain P. notoginseng by the qPCR assay. Conclusions: The qPCR method can accurately identify P. notoginseng in TCPMs and is promising as a powerful tool for quality control and market regulation.

Keywords: Panax notoginseng; TaqMan probe; identification; quantitative real-time PCR; traditional Chinese patent medicine.