The chemical constituents of ginseng plants.
Hou JP.
The dried roots and rhizomes of ginseng (P. ginseng C. A. Meyer) contain
many physiologically important constituents. These include ginseng saponins,
ginseng oils and phytosterol, carbohydrates and sugars, organic acids,
nitrogenous substances, amino acids and peptides, vitamins and minerals, and
certain enzymes that have been isolated and characterized. Among these,
ginseng saponins are proven to be the principal and most active
constituents. Chemical research, therefore, has been focused on these
saponins--their extraction, purification, identification, isolation of
aglycones (genins), and biosynthesis. So far 13 saponins have been isolated
and identified and these, which have been called ginsenosides or
panaxosides, are triterpenes of dammarane and oleanane structures. Although
American, Japanese, San-ch'i, Himalayan, and Siberian ginseng roots contain
many saponins similar to those found in ginseng, the overall components in
these ginseng species are quite different. The above-ground parts,
particularly the leaves, of these ginseng plants contain many of the
saponins normally present in the roots. The search for economical sources of
ginseng saponins from nature and even chemical synthesis may likely become
the active ginseng research of the future. Continued, meticulous studies are
undoubtedly needed to develop these natural panacea into useful, efficacious
modern remedies.
PMID: 608333 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Ginseng pharmacology: multiple constituents and multiple actions.
Attele AS, Wu JA, Yuan CS.
Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, The University of Chicago, IL
60637, USA.
Ginseng is a highly valued herb in the Far East and has gained popularity in
the West during the last decade. There is extensive literature on the
beneficial effects of ginseng and its constituents. The major active
components of ginseng are ginsenosides, a diverse group of steroidal
saponins, which demonstrate the ability to target a myriad of tissues,
producing an array of pharmacological responses. However, many mechanisms of
ginsenoside activity still remain unknown. Since ginsenosides and other
constituents of ginseng produce effects that are different from one another,
and a single ginsenoside initiates multiple actions in the same tissue, the
overall pharmacology of ginseng is complex. The ability of ginsenosides to
independently target multireceptor systems at the plasma membrane, as well
as to activate intracellular steroid receptors, may explain some
pharmacological effects. This commentary aims to review selected effects of
ginseng and ginsenosides and describe their possible modes of action.
Structural variability of ginsenosides, structural and functional
relationship to steroids, and potential targets of action are discussed.
PMID: 10571242 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]