Rapid and easy identification of Illicium verum Hook. f. and its adulterant Illicium anisatum Linn. by fluorescent microscopy and gas chromatography.
Illicium verum Hook. f. is used as an herbal tea to treat colic pain in infants. Reports suggest that Star anise herbal tea may be adulterated with Illicium anisatum Linn. A short and rapid method using microscopy and gas chromatography (GC) was developed to detect I. anisatum Linn., an adulterant in the powdered mixture of I. verum. Anatomical differences in the epicarp cells of I. verum and I. anisatum fruits were clearly defined as examined under fluorescent microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. A GC method was developed for quick identification of possible I. anisatum adulteration with I. verum.
University of Mississippi, National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Pharmacy, Thad Cochran Research Center, University, MS 38677, USA.
Vaishali C
VC
Joshi
Pullela V
PV
Srinivas
Ikhlas A
IA
Khan
D001901:Botany / Q000379:methods*; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods*; D029523:Illicium / Q000378:metabolism*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D013045:Species Specificity