146
N. N. Win and H. Morita
[35]. Panax species are distributed naturally in the Northern Hemisphere from the
central Himalayas onward through China, Korea, and Japan to North America [36].
Twelve Panax species, including P. ginseng C.A. Meyer, P. japonicus C.A. Meyer,
P. major Ting, P. notoginseng (Burkill) F.H. Chen, P. omeiensis J. Wen, P. pseudoginseng Wall., P. quinquefolius L., P. sinensis J. Wen, P. stipuleanatus H.T. Tsai &
K.M. Feng, P. trifolius L., P. wangianus Sun, and P. zingiberensis C.Y. Wu & K.M.
Feng, are included in this genus [35]. On the market, three types of ginseng, fresh,
white, and red, are available. White ginseng is made by peeling fresh ginseng roots
and drying them without steaming. In contrast, red ginseng is made by steaming and
drying fresh ginseng, suggesting a chemical transformation by heat to preserve the
ginseng for an extended period of time [37, 38]. A decoction of the root of P. ginseng
has been used traditionally both as a tonic for the restoration of strength and a panacea
(hence the genus name Panax, meaning all-healing) [39]. It has also been suggested
that the life-prolonging effects of ginseng may be due to the preventive activity of
ginseng against the development of cancer. Administration of ginseng tablets has
reportedly increased resistance to the adverse effects of antineoplastic agents and
protects blood-forming organs [40]. There is a long-standing perception in Korea
and China that wild P. ginseng has greater pharmacological activity than cultured
P. ginseng. In fact, wild P. ginseng is sold at higher prices than cultured P. ginseng
in these two countries. However, because of continual harvesting over thousands of
years, the natural sources of this species have become almost exhausted, and wild
plants are rarely available [41].
The chemical constituents of plants of Panax species are related to their
morphology, which can be divided tentatively into two groups [42]. The first group
contains P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius, and their underground parts are carrot-like
roots with small rhizomes, containing dammarane triterpene saponins with minor
amounts of oleanolic acid saponins. The second group includes P. japonicus, P. japonicas var. major, P. pseudo-ginseng subsp. himalaicus and P. zingiberensis. These
species are grown in the eastern Himalayas and in southwestern China. The underground parts are large rhizomes with small roots that contain not only dammarane
triterpene saponins but also a high content of a variety of oleanolic acid saponins
[42, 43].
In 2001, a sample of wild ginseng from Myanmar (Fig. 8) was collected at the
Par Moe Ne Water Spring area in Taunggyi, Shan State, at an altitude of 1500 m
above sea level [44]. It is a perennial herb with an erect stem 30–50 cm in height,
palmate leaves, and a large horizontal rhizome with small roots. The morphological
characteristics are similar to those of the Panax species that grow in eastern Himalaya
and southwestern China, such as P. japonicus, P. japonicus var. major, and P. pseudoginseng subsp. himalaicus. The isolation of the chemical constituents of a 60%
hot EtOH extract by various chromatographic techniques afforded seven saponins,
including three dammarane triterpene saponins, namely, ginsenosides Rg 1 (35) [45]
Rh 1 (36) [46], and Rb 1 (37) [47], and four oleanolic acid saponins, ginsenoside
Ro (38) [47], chikusetsusaponins IV (39) [48] and IVa (40) [49], and zingibroside
R 1 (41) [50] (Fig. 9). The occurrence of both dammarane triterpene saponins and
oleanolic acid saponins is supportive of Myanmar wild ginseng as a member of the
N. N. Win and H. Morita
[35]. Panax species are distributed naturally in the Northern Hemisphere from the
central Himalayas onward through China, Korea, and Japan to North America [36].
Twelve Panax species, including P. ginseng C.A. Meyer, P. japonicus C.A. Meyer,
P. major Ting, P. notoginseng (Burkill) F.H. Chen, P. omeiensis J. Wen, P. pseudoginseng Wall., P. quinquefolius L., P. sinensis J. Wen, P. stipuleanatus H.T. Tsai &
K.M. Feng, P. trifolius L., P. wangianus Sun, and P. zingiberensis C.Y. Wu & K.M.
Feng, are included in this genus [35]. On the market, three types of ginseng, fresh,
white, and red, are available. White ginseng is made by peeling fresh ginseng roots
and drying them without steaming. In contrast, red ginseng is made by steaming and
drying fresh ginseng, suggesting a chemical transformation by heat to preserve the
ginseng for an extended period of time [37, 38]. A decoction of the root of P. ginseng
has been used traditionally both as a tonic for the restoration of strength and a panacea
(hence the genus name Panax, meaning all-healing) [39]. It has also been suggested
that the life-prolonging effects of ginseng may be due to the preventive activity of
ginseng against the development of cancer. Administration of ginseng tablets has
reportedly increased resistance to the adverse effects of antineoplastic agents and
protects blood-forming organs [40]. There is a long-standing perception in Korea
and China that wild P. ginseng has greater pharmacological activity than cultured
P. ginseng. In fact, wild P. ginseng is sold at higher prices than cultured P. ginseng
in these two countries. However, because of continual harvesting over thousands of
years, the natural sources of this species have become almost exhausted, and wild
plants are rarely available [41].
The chemical constituents of plants of Panax species are related to their
morphology, which can be divided tentatively into two groups [42]. The first group
contains P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius, and their underground parts are carrot-like
roots with small rhizomes, containing dammarane triterpene saponins with minor
amounts of oleanolic acid saponins. The second group includes P. japonicus, P. japonicas var. major, P. pseudo-ginseng subsp. himalaicus and P. zingiberensis. These
species are grown in the eastern Himalayas and in southwestern China. The underground parts are large rhizomes with small roots that contain not only dammarane
triterpene saponins but also a high content of a variety of oleanolic acid saponins
[42, 43].
In 2001, a sample of wild ginseng from Myanmar (Fig. 8) was collected at the
Par Moe Ne Water Spring area in Taunggyi, Shan State, at an altitude of 1500 m
above sea level [44]. It is a perennial herb with an erect stem 30–50 cm in height,
palmate leaves, and a large horizontal rhizome with small roots. The morphological
characteristics are similar to those of the Panax species that grow in eastern Himalaya
and southwestern China, such as P. japonicus, P. japonicus var. major, and P. pseudoginseng subsp. himalaicus. The isolation of the chemical constituents of a 60%
hot EtOH extract by various chromatographic techniques afforded seven saponins,
including three dammarane triterpene saponins, namely, ginsenosides Rg 1 (35) [45]
Rh 1 (36) [46], and Rb 1 (37) [47], and four oleanolic acid saponins, ginsenoside
Ro (38) [47], chikusetsusaponins IV (39) [48] and IVa (40) [49], and zingibroside
R 1 (41) [50] (Fig. 9). The occurrence of both dammarane triterpene saponins and
oleanolic acid saponins is supportive of Myanmar wild ginseng as a member of the