Simultaneous identification of Fritillariae cirrhosae bulbus and its common adulterants in one reaction by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and high-resolution melting curve assay

•F. cirrhosae bulbus and its adulterants can be identified with two pairs of probes.•This assay is highly sensitive and specific, rapid, simple, and cost-effective.•As low as 10% adulteration can be detected in F. cirrhosae bulbus in one reaction.•Our method can be used as a prototype for detecting other species for drug safety.