Enhancing Testing Laboratory Engagement in Plant DNA Barcoding through a Routine Workflow-A Case Study on Chinese Materia Medica (CMM).

Introduction of DNA standards into Pharmacopoeia in different parts of the world enables identification of herbal materials in a complementary manner. However, little has been discussed about the quality requirements for a testing laboratory to implement DNA barcoding methods for herbal materials, which has limited the test method to be developed as a routine service. To encourage the engagement of testing laboratory in application of DNA barcode, a practical workflow including the components of analytical run and the corresponding quality control plan was suggested and employed to address a real-life challenge faced by the differentiation of plant-derived Chinese Materia Medica (CMM), Herba Potentillae Chinensis (Wei ling Cai), Herba Potentillae Discoloris (Fan Bai Cai), Radix Pulsatillae (Bai Tou Weng), and Radix Arnebiae (Zi Cao), which share similar morphological characteristics and multiple species involved.