HERBAL MONOGRAPHS"androgynous and have greenish-yellow corollas. The ovary
is inferior. The fruit is a pea-sized, globular to reniform,
scarlet, smooth and glossy drupe, which contains 2 seeds.(^3) Leaves, Stem and Root: The plant is a perennial, and stands
&- erect from 30 to 80 cm high. It has a smooth, round stem and
bears terminal whorls of 3 to 5 palmate leaves. The leaflets
are thin, finely serrate, gradually acuminate, 7 to 20 cm long
and 2 to 5 cm wide. The rhizome tapers at the ends and is
often palmate at the tip, giving it a human-like form.
Habitat: Panax ginseng is indigenous to China. It is
cultivated in China, Korea, Japan and Russia.
Production: Ginseng root consists of the dried main and
lateral root and root hairs of Panax ginseng.
Other Names: Five-fingers, Red berry, American Ginseng,
Chinese Ginseng, Korean Ginseng, Oriental Ginseng
ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
Triterpene saponins
Aglycone (20S)-protopanaxadiol: including ginsenoside Ral,
Ra2, Ra3, Rbl, Rb2, Rb3, notoginsenoside R4, Rsl, Rs2,
^r Rs3, Rs4, malonylginsenoside Rbl, Re, Rd
Aglycone (20S)-protopanaxytriol: including ginsenoside Re,
Rf, Rgl, notoginsenoside Rl
Aglycone oleanolic acid: including ginsenoside Ro, chikuset-
susasaponin-V Rbl, Rb2, Re, Rd, Re, Rgl
Water-soluble polysaccharides: panaxane A to U
Polyynes: including falcarinol (panaxynol), falcarintriol
(panaxytriol), examples estered with acetic acid or linolenic
acid
EFFECTS
The main active component in Ginseng consists of the
ginsenosides, a diverse group of steroidal saponins. There
are twenty-five ginsenosides that have been separated and
detected based on the sugar unit sequences and aglycone
moieties (Attele, 1999; Fuzzati, 1999; Wang, 1999). The
ginsenosides demonstrate the ability to target a myriad of
tissues, producing a variety of pharmaceuticalr responses
gL quite different from one another. A single ginsenoside may
initiate multiple or opposing actions in the same tissue, thus
making the overall phamacology of ginseng complex (Attele,
1999).
Cognitive Function Effects
The loss of nicotinic receptor binding has been associated
with age-related cognitive impairments. Nicotinic receptor
stimulation of the central nervous system is beneficial for
neuroprotection against age associated cognitive disorders. A
GINSENG /347
non-ginsenoside component of the herb has demonstrated
affinity for the nicotinic receptor. This binding of the
compound to the receptor results in nicotinic activity (Lewis,
1999). Ginsenoside-Rg2 and -Rg3 block nicotinic acetylcho-
line and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors. This results in
an inhibitory effect of the acetylcholine-evoked secretion of
catecholamines. (Tachikawa, 1999). These different effects
of Panax gingseng contribute to the variety of pharmacologi-
cal effects.
Antineoplastic Effects
A protopanaxadiol component of Ginseng was shown to
inhibit proliferation of pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells
resistant to cisplatin (Lee, 1999). Ginsenoside-Rs4 and -Rs3
elevates protein levels of p53 and p21WAFl, which are
associated with the induction of apoptosis in human hepato-
ma cells (Kim, 1999). Ginsenoside Rh2 induces apoptotic
cell death in the glioma cell line through activation of
caspase and production of oxygen species (Kim, 1999).
Antioxidant Effects
The antioxidant effects of Ginseng protect against oxidative
DNA and protein (globin) damage caused by free radicals
(Lee, 1998). Antioxidant activity of the herb also provides a
hepatoprotective effect by increasing hepatic gluathione
peroxidase activity (Voces, 1999). Antioxidant intervention
by Ginseng is exerted by weak radical scavenging activity
and stimulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in
cardiac tissue (Maffei, 1999).
Antiplatelet Effects
The antiplatelet components consist of panaxynol and
ginsenosides Ro, Rgl, and Rg2 in the diethyl ether and 1-
butanol fractions of the herb. Panaxynol inhibits the aggrega-
tion, release reaction, and thromboxane formation in platelets
while ginsenosides Ro, Rgl, and Rg2 suppress the release
reaction only (Kuo, 1990; Teng, 1989).
Antiviral Effects
Ginseng induces production of interferon, enhances natural
killer cell and antibody dependent cytotoxic activities, and
stimulates cell mediated immunity (Singh, 1983; Singh,
1984).
Decrease in Alcohol Levels
The effect of ginseng in the reduction of blood ethanol levels
may be attributed to different mechanisms. Ginseng in-
creases alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase
activity at high concentrations due to an augmented induc-
tion of the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system. Ginseng
enhances blood alcohol clearance in man (Lee, 1987). The