Differential identification of mushrooms sclerotia by IR macro-fingerprint method

•Five mushrooms sclerotia were identified by FTIR as their adulterant products are prevalent.•Lignosus rhinocerotis was comparable with Poria cocos.•Polyporus umbellatus and Pleurotus tuber-regium were discriminated at 1680–1500 cm−1.•Omphalia lapidescens was different from the others.•FTIR can revealed the dissimilarity of these five mushroom sclerotia.

Many macrofungus sclerotia are well-known medicinal herbs, health food and nutritional supplements. However, the prevalent adulterant commercial products are major hindrances to their incorporation into mainstream medical use in many countries. The mushroom sclerotia of Lignosus rhinocerotis, Poria cocos, Polyporus umbellatus, Pleurotus tuber-regium and Omphalia lapidescens are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, IR macro-fingerprint method was used in the identification of these sclerotia. The results showed that the spectrum of L. rhinocerotis (LR) was comparable with P. cocos with 94.4% correlation, except that the peak at 1543 cm−1 of LR appeared in lower intensity. The spectrum of P. umbellatus and P. tuber-regium was also correlated (91.5%), as both spectra could be clearly discriminated in that P. umbellatus spectrum has small base peaks located at the range of 1680–1500 cm−1. O. lapidescens was not comparable with all the other sclerotia as its spectrum was totally different. Its base peak was broad and derivated equally along the range. The first IR has revealed the dissimilarity among five mushrooms sclerotia. The second derivative and 2DIR further enhanced the identification in detail.

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