[Identification on Five Kinds of Easily Confused Bupleurum Medicinal Materials].

Macroscopic identification, thin layer chromatography( TLC) identification and molecular identification based on the Chinese Pharmacopoeia were established to identify five kinds of Bupleurum medicinal materials such as Bupleurum chinense,Bupleurum scorzonerifolium, Bupleurum marginatum, Bupleurum marginatum var. stenophyllum and Bupleurum bicaule,which were easily confused.

According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia,macroscopic characters of these five kinds of Bupleurum medicinal materials were observed and described; TLC identification method with saikosaponin d and control medicinal material of Bupleuri Radix as reference substances was established. Furthermore, DNA barcode was applied in identification of these confused drugs.

Five Bupleurum medicinal materials could be easily distinguished by their morphological characters. Moreover, TLC of Bupleurum chinense,Bupleurum scorzonerifolium, Bupleurum marginatum and Bupleurum marginatum var. stenophyllum were extremely similar while being different from that of Bupleurum bicaule. The ITS2 sequences could be used to identify the five Bupleurum medicinal materials.

The established macroscopic identification and TLC for distinguishing of the five kinds of Bupleurum medicinal materials are simple and accurate while DNA barcode technology being effective and extensive. Besides, this study provides scientific basis for the further pharmacodynamic studies on Bupleurum marginatum and Bupleurum marginatum var. stenophyllum.