Ginseng Research

Ginseng, the dried roots of Panax ginseng, is a famous worldwide herbal medicine. Within 30 years, people began to try the „forest ginseng“ cultivation characterized by the growing conditions similar to wild ginseng. The chemical constituents of „forest ginseng“ and „garden ginseng“ were compared and its quality was evaluated so as to unravel the superiority of this cultivation mode. In addition, the chemical constituents of Panax ginseng was explored and thereof over 50 kinds of constituents were identified. Meanwhile The structure-activity relationship between ginsenosides and their anti-cancer, anti-arrhythmia, anti-platelet aggregation, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-hyperlipidemia immunostimulation and cerebral I/R were explored. The overview of the actions of individual ginsenosides enlightens that PPD-type and PPT-type ginsenosides should be used separately for different actions and people. Our present results also indicated the mixture of PPD or PPT-type ginsenosides showed stronger actions than individual ginsenosides in certain pharmacological actions. Acknowledgements: Thanks for the funding of Scientific Innovative Team of Liaoning Education Bureau (2008).