Authentication of holy basil using markers relating to a toxicology-relevant compound

Abstract Holy Basil— Ocimum tenuiflorum —is one of the popular new “superfoods” thought to act as an antioxidant and reduce stress anxiety. However, it is often surrogated with other species differing in their chemical profiles that may even pose health risks consumers. Moreover, specific chemotypes Basil itself can be toxicologically relevant, because they sometimes contain carcinogen compound methyleugenol. Using DNA barcoding based on plastidic markers, O. differentiated from . this approach still suboptimal handling larger sample numbers tracing accumulate We have, therefore, designed a trait-related barcode enzyme eugenol O -methyltransferase (EOMT), responsible for synthesis show multiplex PCR combining trait-independent markers differentiate identify methyleugenol , dried material sold mixtures.