Ginseng: Pharmacological Action and Phytochemistry Prospective

Ginseng, the root of Panax species is a well-known conventional and perennial herb belonging to Araliaceae of various countries China, Korea, and Japan that is also known as the king of all herbs and famous for many years worldwide. It is a short underground rhizome that is associated with the fleshy root. Pharmacognostic details of cultivation and collection with different morphological characters are discussed. Phytocontent present is saponins glycosides, carbohydrates, polyacetylenes, phytosterols, nitrogenous substances, amino acids, peptides, vitamins, volatile oil, minerals, and enzymes details are discussed. The main focusing of the bioactive constituent of ginseng is ginsenosides are triterpenoid saponin glycosides having multifunctional pharmacological activities including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant and many more will be discussed. Ginseng is helpful in the treatment of microbial infection, inflammation, oxidative stress, diabetes, and obesity. Nanoparticles and nanocomposite film technologies had developed in it as novel drug delivery for cancer, inflammation, and neurological disorder. Multifaceted ginseng will be crucial for future development. This chapter review pharmacological, phytochemical, and pharmacognostic studies of this plant.

Evaluation of the Saponin Content in Panax vietnamensis Acclimatized to Lam Dong Province by HPLC–UV/CAD

Panax vietnamensis, or Vietnamese ginseng (VG), an endemic Panax species in Vietnam, possesses a unique saponin profile and interesting biological activities. This plant is presently in danger of extinction due to over-exploitation, resulting in many preservation efforts towards the geographical acclimatization of VG. Yet, no information on the saponin content of the acclimatized VG, an important quality indicator, is available. Here, we analyzed the saponin content in the underground parts of two- to five-year-old VG plants acclimatized to Lam Dong province. Nine characteristic saponins, including notoginsenoside-R1, ginsenoside-Rg1, -Rb1, -Rd, majonoside-R1, -R2 vina-ginsenoside-R2, -R11, and pseudoginsenoside-RT4, were simultaneously determined by HPLC coupled with UV and with a charged aerosol detector (CAD). Analyzing the results illustrated that the detection of characteristic ocotillol-type saponins in VG by CAD presented a superior capacity compared with that of UV, thus implying a preferential choice of CAD for the analysis of VG. The quantitative results indicating the saponin content in the underground parts of VG showed an increasing tendency from two to five years old, with the root and the rhizome exhibiting different saponin accumulation patterns. This is the first study that reveals the preliminary success of VG acclimatization and thereby encourages the continuing efforts to develop this valuable saponin-rich plant.

Comparisons of Isolation Methods, Structural Features, and Bioactivities of the Polysaccharides from Three Common Panax Species: A Review of Recent Progress

Panax spp. (Araliaceae family) are widely used medicinal plants and they mainly include Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, Panax quinquefolium L. (American ginseng), and Panax notoginseng (notoginseng). Polysaccharides are the main active ingredients in these plants and have demonstrated diverse pharmacological functions, but comparisons of isolation methods, structural features, and bioactivities of these polysaccharides have not yet been reported. This review summarizes recent advances associated with 112 polysaccharides from ginseng, 25 polysaccharides from American ginseng, and 36 polysaccharides from notoginseng and it compares the differences in extraction, purification, structural features, and bioactivities. Most studies focus on ginseng polysaccharides and comparisons are typically made with the polysaccharides from American ginseng and notoginseng. For the extraction, purification, and structural analysis, the processes are similar for the polysaccharides from the three Panax species. Previous studies determined that 55 polysaccharides from ginseng, 18 polysaccharides from American ginseng, and 9 polysaccharides from notoginseng exhibited anti-tumor activity, immunoregulatory effects, anti-oxidant activity, and other pharmacological functions, which are mediated by multiple signaling pathways, including mitogen-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor kappa B, or redox balance pathways. This review can provide new insights into the similarities and differences among the polysaccharides from the three Panax species, which can facilitate and guide further studies to explore the medicinal properties of the Araliaceae family used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Isolation, sequencing and expression of the gene encoding acetoacetyl-coa thiolase from Panax vietnamensis Ha et Grushv.

Panax vietnamensis Ha et Grushv., naturally distributed in Ngoc Linh Mountain, is an endemic Panax species of Vietnam. For centuries, P. vietnamensis has been used in traditional folk medicine to treat many serious diseases or enhance physical strength. Ginsenosides are responsible for most of the medicinal effects of the Panax species. Acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase (AACT) is considered as an important enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of ginsenoside. In this study, a full-length cDNA of the gene encoding AACT protein (GeneBank accession number MZ272018) was obtained from P. vietnamensis using reverse transcription PCR. The gene open reading frame (1224 bp) encodes 408 amino acids. This cDNA sequence is 99.08% similar to the cDNA sequence of Panax notoginseng (KJ804173.1). The functional analysis of its protein by InterPro showed that the structure of AACT monomer consists of three domains, including thiolase-like domain (17-285), N-terminal (18-276), and C-terminal (286-406). Although there were some differences in the nucleotide sequence of the AACT cDNA gene between P. vietnamensis and the reference species, all important domains and sites related to the thiolase activity were observed. Phylogenetic analysis using AACT cDNA gene sequence revealed a close relationship of P. vietnamensis with P. notoginseng and Trachyspemum ammi. The quantitative real-time PCR results indicated the expression of AACT gene of P. vietnamensis depended on types of tissue and plant developmental stages (1, 4, 6 and 11 years old). The gene was expressed at higher levels in roots than in leaves and the highest expression of AACT gene was detected in the 11-year-old roots. The results provided valuable information for further studies on the biosynthesis of ginsenoside in P. vietnamensis in particular and Panax species in general.