QR code labeling system for Xueteng-related herbs based on DNA barcode

Objective Xueteng-related herbs include Spatholobi Caulis (Jixueteng in Chinese), Sargentodoxae Caulis (Daxueteng in Chinese), Kadsurae Caulis (Dianjixueteng in Chinese), and other medicinal plant stems that release reddish-brown juices after being cut. However, similarity in phonetic spelling and sound leads to their misuse in clinic or commercial circulation. Accurate labeling is imperative as well as effective for species identification. Methods In this study, the ITS2 sequences of 76 samples of Xueteng-related herbs were obtained and analyzed to identify them. And then they were converted into QR codes using the open source PHP QR code. Also, a DNA barcode reference library was established according to these sequences and was used to authenticate the 25 samples of Xueteng-related herbs collected from the market. Results The lengths of the ITS2 sequences of different Xueteng-related herbs ranged from 207 to 235 bp and the GC contents were 57.5%−71.0%. Jixueteng, Daxueteng, and Dianjixueteng were clustered into three clades respectively in the neighbor-joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree, and the efficiency of the BLAST method was 100%. The ITS2 sequences of different Xueteng-related herbs were presented vividly and specifically in QR code. Twenty-two of all 25 commercial samples were consistent with the original labels, whereas three samples marked “Dianjixueteng” were authenticated as “Jixueteng”. Conclusion QR code labeling system based on DNA barcode is an effective labeling system of Xueteng-related herbs for their circulation regulation.