Authentication of Brazilian Ginseng using Bar-HRM analysis

Hebanthe eriantha (Martius) Kuntze and Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng) Pedersen are medicinal plants popularly known as “Brazilian Ginseng” due to their similarity to Panax ginseng. In Brazil, they are sold as the same herb, despite their different pharmacological and toxicological properties. The morpho...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Almeida, Francine Alves Nogueira de, Oliveira, Pablo Viana, Matos, Natan Silva, Fialho, Verônica Luiza Luiza Silveira, Lugon, Magda Delorence, Vieira, Maria do Carmo, Ferreira, Márcia Flores da Silva, Paneto, Greiciane Gaburro
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2023
Country:Brasil
Institution:Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
Repository:Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:revistas.usp.br:article/220151
Online Access:https://www.revistas.usp.br/bjps/article/view/220151
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Amaranthaceae;
Eriantha;
Glomerata;
Hebanthe;
Pfaffia.
Description
Summary:Hebanthe eriantha (Martius) Kuntze and Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng) Pedersen are medicinal plants popularly known as “Brazilian Ginseng” due to their similarity to Panax ginseng. In Brazil, they are sold as the same herb, despite their different pharmacological and toxicological properties. The morphological identification is difficult, which facilitates their adulteration. We report the application of the Barcode DNA High-Resolution Melting (Bar-HRM) using matK gene to differentiate both species in samples sold in the Brazilian market. Using the proposed method, we could discriminate and identify both species. Bar-HRM analysis allowed discriminating and identifying both species. It allowed the identification of H. eriantha and P. glomerata in 43.6% and 56.4% of the amplified samples, respectively. Of these, only seven samples were authenticated and, in 71.4% of the cases, adulterated. We concluded that Bar-HRM has proven to be a fast alternative method to authenticate plants under the common name “Brazilian Ginseng”.