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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. 3 (2026)

matK as a potential DNA barcode and proximate analysis of Rheum tibeticum: A study on an endangered medicinal plant from Ladakh-Western Himalayas

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.10875
Submitted
25 July 2025
Published
04-06-2026 — Updated on 10-08-2026
Versions

Abstract

In Ladakh, locally available plants have been used for medicinal purposes for ages. There are limited reports on the nutraceutical analysis of these plants. Here, proximate analysis of Rheum tibeticum Maxim. ex Hook. f. was evaluated for the first time. During the proximate analysis, parameters such as moisture, ash, fiber, fat, protein, carbohydrate, energy value and some minerals were analyzed. In addition, to perform exact species-level identification and resolve species-level identification controversies, DNA barcoding was performed using the plastid gene matK. To obtain the DNA barcode, DNA was extracted, amplified with marker-specific primers and sequenced for the particular marker and phylogenetic inference was drawn using Maximum likelihood with bioinformatics tools. The study identified matK as a suitable barcode marker. The sequences were submitted to National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) for accession numbers and the phylogenetic tree was constructed using similar sequences retrieved from the NCBI gene bank after BLAST. The study found that the plant has a good nutrient content and could be explored as a nutrient fortifier to enhance the nutritional value of the staple foods consumed by local tribal people. The study's outcomes provide significant guidance for the authentic identification of species present in the area and their medicinal and nutraceutical properties, thereby reducing the risk of adulteration when used as a nutraceutical or in local traditional medicinal formulations.

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