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Synonyms: Ninjin, Pannag, Panax.
Biological Source: Ginseng is the dried root of various species of Panax,
P. ginseng (Korean ginseng),
P. japonica (Japanese ginseng),
P. notoginseng (Chinese ginseng) and
P. quinquefolium (American ginseng),
Family: Araliaceae.
Macroscopic Characters:
Colour: yellowish brown, white or red in colour
Shape: They are translucent and possess the stem scars.
Chemical Constituents:
Ginseng contains a mixture of several triterpenoid group saponin glycosides.
Ginsenosides;
Panaxosides; and
Chikusetsusaponin
Ginsenosides contain aglycone dammarol while panaxosides have oleanolic acid as aglycone.
About 13 ginsenosides have been identified.
Panaxosides give oleanolic acid, panaxadiol and panaxatriol on decomposition.
Oleanolic acid
Panaxatriol
Uses:
Ginseng is an important immunomodulatory drug.
It increases the natural resistance (non-specific resistance) and enhances the power to overcome the illness or exhaustion.
It has both stimulant and sedative properties.
It is used as aphrodisiac.
It is believed to be useful in adrenal and thyroid dysfunctioning.
In old days, ginseng was used for a number of ailments, like curing the giddiness and prolonging life of elderly and diabetic persons
Panaxadiol
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