Chemical Assessment of Roots of Panax notoginseng (Tienchi) in China: Regional and Seasonal Variations in Its Active Constituents

Tina T. X. Dong, Xiu M. Cui, Zong H. Song, Kui J. Zhao, Zhao N. Ji, Chun K. Lo, and Karl W. K. Tsim*
Department of Biology, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China, Department of Pharmacognosy, China Pharmaceutical University, 1 Shennong Road, Nanjing, China, and Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Military Medical College of PLA, Beijing, China
Received for review March 10, 2003. Revised manuscript received May 28, 2003. Accepted June 1, 2003. This work was supported by New World Company and Innovation Technology Fund (ITF; UIM/9) and the Area of Excellence Scheme established under the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong SAR, China (AoE/B-15/01) to K.W.K.T. and Yunnan Province Science and Technology Office Application Basic Research Fund to X.M.C.
Abstract:
Root of Panax notoginseng (Radix Notoginseng, Sanqi) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine and is mainly cultivated in Wenshan of Yunnan, China. The active constituents include saponin, dencichine, flavonoid, and polysaccharide; however, the levels of these components vary in different geographical regions of growth and also show a seasonal variation. By using high-performance liquid chromatography and spectrophotometry, the contents of notoginsenoside R1, ginsenoside Rg1, Rb1, Rd, dencichine, flavonoid, and polysaccharide were determined and compared with Radix Notoginseng collected from different regions of growth in China, as well as from different seasons of harvest and market grades. Using the contents of these active constituents as markers, the best quality of Radix Notoginseng is found in the southwestern parts of Wenshan, and the best season for the harvest is September to October. In addition, the unseeded plants produced a better quality of Radix Notoginseng. The current results provide useful information for the quality control of Radix Notoginseng and its further development in establishing the good agriculture practice standard of P. notoginseng in China.
Keywords: Panax notoginseng; GAP; quality control; polysaccharide; saponin; seasonal variation; Chinese medicine

High density cell culture of Panax notoginseng for production of ginseng saponin and polysaccharide in an airlift bioreactor

High cell density of Panax notoginseng in a 17 l airlift bioreactor was achieved in batch cultivation using a modified MS medium. The dry cell weight, ginseng saponin and polysaccharide reached 24, 1.7 and 2.8 g l-1, respectively, after 15 d. A strategy of sucrose feeding based on changes in the specific O2 uptake rate was applied to the cell cultures, which increased these respective yields to 30, 2.3 and 3.2 g l-1.
Keywords: airlift bioreactor; ginseng saponin and polysaccharide; high density cell culture; Panax notoginseng; plant cell culture
Language: English
Document Type: Research article
Affiliations: 1: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China 2: (Fax: +86-21-64253904 3: E-mail: jjzhong@ecust.edu.cn)
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