Molecular authentication of the traditional Tibetan medicinal plant, Meconopsis impedita

摘要

The root of?Meconopsis?impedita?is one of the most widely used traditional Tibetan medicinal plants. However, it is often confused with?Meconopsis racemosa?whose roots may be used as a substitute. To establish a DNA polymorphism-based assay for the identification of?M.?impedita, the chloroplast?rps16?intron region of 11 accessions representing?M. impedita?and?M. racemosa?were sequenced and analyzed. Based on the unique sequence of the?rps16?intron region between the two species, one pair of species-specific primers was designed and used for the rapid PCR identification of?M. impedita.