DIFFERENTIATION OF GENUINES AND COUNTERFEITS OF CORDYCEPS SPECIES USING RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA

For identification of genuine and counterfeit samples of Cordyceps sin ensis, an RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) analysis was perform ed. In the study, twelve samples were collected, of which six were gen uine and six were counterfeit samples. Genuine samples of Cordyceps si nensis contain two parasitic larvae produced from each of the three pr ovinces, Sichuan (SC), Chinghai (CH), and Tibet (TB), The counterfeits contain two products of each of the three species, Cordyceps hawkesii , Stachys geobombycis, and Stachys sieboldii. In the RAPD analysis, tw enty arbitrary decamer primers were screened to obtain primers appropr iate for differentiating the genuine and counterfeit samples. The resu lt of twelve RAPD markers generated from four primers, OPT-08, OPT-12, OPT-13, and OPT-17, were selected. The primers can easily distinguish between genuine and counterfeit samples of Cordyceps sinensis.