Ginseng
Source, diagnostic characters, constituents and uses
Objectives
At the
end of this lecture, student will be able to
• Source,
diagnostic characters, constituents and uses of Ginseng
Ginseng
Synonym
• Ninjin, Pannag, Panax
Source
• Dried root of various species of Panax, P. ginseng
(Korean), P. japonica (Japanese), P. notoginseng (Chinese) and P.
quinquefolium (American)
Macroscopy
• Tuberous corpulent roots
• Yellowish brown, white or red
• Translucent
• Stem scars
Constituents
• Saponin glycosides
– Ginsenosides – aglycone -dammarol
– Panaxosides– aglycone –oleanolic acid
• Panaxosides – oleanolic acid, panaxadiol, panaxatriol
• Chikusetsu saponin
Uses
• Immunomodulatroy agent
• Increases natural resistance, helps to overcome illness
and exhaustion
• Aphrodisiac
• Used in adrenal and thyroid dysfunction
• Both stimulant and sedative
• Olden days – in giddiness, prolonging life, in diabetes,
demulcent, gastritis, anemia
• Long term use leads to poisoning as that of
corticosteroids
Summary
• Dried root of various species of Panax, P. ginseng
(Korean), P. japonica (Japanese), P. notoginseng (Chinese) and P. quinquefolium
(American), Saponin glycosides – Ginsenosides, Panaxosides – Immunomodulatory