Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

CODONOPSIS

Source: Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.)
Nannf.,C. pilosulaNannf. var.modesta
(Nannf.) L. T. Shen,C. tangshenOliv.,
C. tubulosa Kom., and many other
Codonopsis species (Family Campa-
nulaceae).^1

Common/vernacular names:Radix codonop-
sis, bonnet bellflower, bastard ginseng, and
dangshen.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Mostly small herbaceous perennials, strongly
scented, with thick fleshy cylindrical to slig-
htly spindle-shaped roots; native to Asia;
distributed throughout China, including the
provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yun-
nan, Xinjiang, Gansu, Jilin, and Liaoning;
now extensively cultivated, also as ornamental
in the United States. Part used is the root,
collected in autumn from wild or cultivated
plants at least 3 years old, washed clean. It is
sorted and strung out to sun dry to about half
dry, then massaging or rubbing by hand or
between two wood boards to bring internal
tissues together, followed by further drying
and rubbing until completely dry; this process
eliminates or minimizes the presence of air
space, cracks, or holes in the dried herb, which
would not keep well (CMH). There are five
major types each with different grades:xidang
(western codonopsis) from Gansu;dongdang
(eastern codonopsis) from Jilin, Liaoning, and
Heilongjiang; ludang (Shanxi codonopsis)
from Shanxi;chuandangortiaodang(Sichuan
codonopsis) from Sichuan, Hubei, and Shaan-
xi;andbaidangorguanhuadangshen(whiteor
tubular-flowered codonopsis) from Guizhou
and Yunnan (CMH;ZHU).Ludangis the most
often encountered in the United States.
Considered as the poor man’s ginseng,
it is frequently used as a substitute for
ginseng.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Most of the chemical studies on codonopsis

were performed during the 1980s. Com-

pounds identified include polysaccharides and

sugars (e.g., inulin, starch, glucose, sucrose,

fructose);2,31.24–10.38% saponins (tangshe-

nosides I, II, III, and IV);3–6amino acids

(1.47–5.33%), with ca. 0.1% as free amino

acids;4,5,7ab-carboline alkaloid (perlolyrine)

and other nitrogen compounds (choline,

nicotinic acid,n-butylallophanate, etc.);^8 tri-

terpenes (e.g., taraxeryl acetate, taraxerol,

friedelin) and sterols (stigmasterol and spinas-

terol) and their glucosides;9–11atractyleno-

lides II and III (see baizhu);^3 scutellarein

glucoside; oroxylin A;^12 volatile oil (ca.

0.12%) composed of 50% acidic compounds,

predominantly methyl palmitate;^13 and trace

minerals, among others.4,5

Four polysaccharides (CP-1, CP-2, CP-3,

and CP-4) have been isolated with molecular

weightsof10,500,12,000,14,000,and79,000,

respectively; the first two haveb-glycosidic

linkages, while the latter two havea-linkages,

involving an unusually large number of sugars

(glucose, fructose, galactose, arabinaose,

mannose, xylose, and rhamnose).^2

No ginseng saponins have been found in

codonopsis.

PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL

ACTIVITIES

As a frequent substitute for ginseng,dangshen

has many of the properties of ginseng. Its

biological activities include central stimula-

tion in mice, weight gain in rabbits, increased

swimming time in mice, prevention of leuko-

cytosisinducedbyturpentineoilinexperimen-

tal animals, increased tolerance to anoxia and

elevated temperatures in mice, and prolonged

survival, radioprotective, enhanced phagocy-

tosis of macrophages, immunoregulating, im-

proved blood picture in mice (red and white

cells and hemoglobin all increased), increased

serum corticosterone in mice, hypotensiveand

peripheral vasodilatory as well as adrenolytic,

220 Codonopsis