To discriminate betweenScutellariabarbata and its adulterants using ITS2 barcode to provide evidence for its clinic safety.Methods:The DNA was extracted from the samples and the second internal transcribed spacer(ITS2)was amplified and sequenced.Sequence assembly was performed using the CodonCode AlignerV5.0.2.0.The genetic distances and variable sites of ITS2 region were analyzed using MEGA6.0 after sequence alignment.Nearest distance and neighbor-joining tree(NJ-tree)methods were used to test the identification efficiency of the ITS2 barcode.Results:The intraspecific genetic distances ofS.barbata were 0~0.0084，while the interspecific genetic distances between S.barbata and its adulterants were 0.3547~0.3696,0.0442~0.0542，and 0.2719~0.3018，respectively.The maximum intraspecific genetic distance of S.barbata was lower than the minimum interspecific genetic distance between S.barbataand its adulterants，which indicates that ITS2 barcode could discriminate S.barbata and its adulterants accurately.The NJ tree based on ITS2 sequences also reveals that S.barbata and its adulterants could be obviously identified.Conclusion:S.barbata could be accurately distinguished from its adulterants using ITS2.The ITS2 region is an efficient barcode to guarantee the quality of medicines.