Ginseng – Source, diagnostic characters, constituents and uses

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

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