Species identification from Ginseng drugs by multiplex amplification refractory mutation system (MARMS)

The multiplex amplification refractory mutation system (MARMS) was applied to the identification of 5 Panax species ( P. ginseng, P. japonicus, P. quinquefolius, P. notoginseng and P. vietnamensis). A set of specific primers, including 2-pair primers on chloroplast trnK gene and nuclear 18S rRNA gene regions, respectively, was designed and synthesized for each species on the basis of species-specific sequences of the 2 genes. By using 5 sets of specific primers, in turn, PCR amplifications were performed with total DNA extracted from 5 Panax species as template under appropriate condition, and each resulting product was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. The results showed that two expected fragments, one from trnK gene and another from 18S rRNA gene regions, were observed simultaneously only when the set of species-specific primers encountered template DNA of the corresponding species. This assay could give more reliable results for identification of not only 5 Panax species but also corresponding Ginseng drugs by simultaneous detection of 4-site nucleotide differences on 2 completely different genes.