Panax ginseng (P. ginseng C.A. Meyer, Araliaceae) has
been used in oriental medicine for over 2000 years having a long history as a
general tonic promoting health and it is believed to be a panacea and to
promote longevity. The bioactive compounds of P. ginseng consist mainly ofginsenosides, polysaccharides, phenolics and polyacetylenes. It is generally
believed that ginsenosides and their metabolites are the major active
principles of P. ginseng. These are saponins derived from the
triterpenedammarane structure and are of two different types of derivatives of
two major aglycones: protopanaxatriol and protopanaxadiol.
All ginsenosides have been reported to exhibit various
biological activities such as anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity,neuroprotective, radioprotective, antiamnestic and antiageing effects. Extensive scientific research has
documented and reviewed the useful effects of P. ginseng C.A. Meyer. However,
as the ginsenosides content of ginseng extracts can vary depending on a number
of factors including the species, the age and part of the plant used, and the
time of year of harvest, there is a high variability in composition of products
in the market; this variability has affected the results of the studies, often
confounding a clear interpretation of data generated with different extracts.
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