Objective: To set up the identification methods to discriminate Anchusa italica from its adulterants

in order to provide experimental basis for the quality control of the herbal medicine. Method: The microscopic identification

thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and DNA molecular identification were used to discriminate A. italica from its adulterants. Result: There were obvious differences among the microscopical characteristics and TLC chromatograms of A.italica

Borago officinalis and Cynoglossum amabile. According to the results of DNA molecular identification

the K-2-P distance of minimum inter-specific was greater than that of maximum intra-specific. Neighbor joining(NJ) trees were built

in which A.italica samples clustered together

and B. officinalis and C. amabile samples showed monophyletic. According to the results of NJ trees

A. italica could be discriminated from its adulterants. Conclusion: Based on the comparative study of microscopic characteristics of stems

leaves and the powder from A.italica and its adulterants

a comprehensive identification model with microscopic identification

TLC identification and DNA molecular identification was set up

which can be used to distinguish A.italica from its adulterants. According to the results

DNA molecular identification technology has great advantages in the identification of A. italica and its adulterants

with a high specificity and high sensitivity. DNA molecular identification technology is an important complement to traditional identification technology

with a great potential and application prospect. In order to strengthen the quality control management

it is suggested to further enhance and improve the quality standard of A. italica.