Percorrer por autor "Taques, Arthur Baldomero"
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- DNA-Based Methodologies for the Authentication of Eleutherococcus senticosus and Rhodiola roseaPublication . Taques, Arthur Baldomero; Amaral, Joana S.; Bittencourt, Juliana Vitoria Messias; Pinto, M. AliceEleutherococcus senticosus, commonly known as Siberian ginseng, is an adaptogenic plant widely used in traditional Chinese and Russian medicine, recognized for its effects on physical endurance, cognitive performance, and immune modulation. Its growing use in the herbal, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries has increased the demand for reliable methods to ensure the authenticity of commercial products. Similarly, Rhodiola rosea, a high-value medicinal species native to mountainous regions of Europe and Asia, is frequently used to reduce fatigue and enhance mental performance. Both species face significant risks of adulteration and substitution, especially when marketed in processed forms that hinder morphological identification. Therefore, this study aimed to develop molecular tools for the authentication of E. senticosus and R. rosea in commercial herbal products. Species- and genus-specific primers targeting barcode regions were designed andevaluated, including genus-specific primers coupled with real-time PCR and high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis. For R. rosea, the tested approaches were unable to reliably discriminate the species, as samples originating from botanical gardens clustered separately. Further investigation is required to determine whether these results reflect intraspecific genetic variation or sample misidentification. For E. senticosus, the primers designed for the species-specific amplification revealed to amplify also other Eleutherococus species. However, the primers proved to be specific for Eleutherococcus genus, without presenting cross-reactivity with other medicinal plants used for similar therapeutic purposes, and were therefore evaluated by real-time PCR coupled with HRM analysis. The primer set EleuFDS-F/EleuFDS-R, targeting the farnesyl diphosphate synthase gene, provided the highest discriminatory power, allowing the differentiation of E. senticosus from E. leucorrhizus, E. lasiogyne, E. henryi, and E. divaricatus. Subsequent application of the developed methodology to 12 commercial samples, including herbal products and food supplements labeled as being Siberian ginseng, was only able to authenticate two samples. Overall, this study aimed to provide accurate and accessible techniques to improve quality control, traceability, and safety in the use of medicinal plant species, suggesting a high level of adulteration among Siberian ginseng products.