Integrating DNA Barcoding Within an Orthogonal Approach for Herbal Product Authentication: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Botany
• Pharmacognosy
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Traditional plant authentication methods face limitations in ensuring accuracy and safety.
• Herbal raw material authentication is a significant challenge in the herbal medicine industry.
• DNA barcoding has emerged as a key trend in plant authentication, often integrated with other methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review DNA barcoding and alternative testing methods for plant authentication.
• To evaluate their role in enhancing quality assurance and safety in plant-related sectors.
• To highlight challenges and advancements in accurate plant identification.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of peer-reviewed articles and case studies from the last two decades.
• Inclusion of studies on DNA barcoding, identification methods, and their applications in quality assurance.
• Exclusion of studies lacking empirical data or not peer-reviewed to ensure quality.

Main Results:

• An orthogonal approach combines multiple independent methods for enhanced accuracy.
• Integrating DNA barcoding with morphological or chemical analysis reduces false positives/negatives.
• This multi-method strategy increases confidence in plant material identification and quality.

Conclusions:

• Challenges persist in ensuring the quality, purity, and safety of plant materials.
• DNA-based authentication is vital for improving plant material identification.
• Combining DNA barcoding with traditional methods is essential for robust authentication.