Research of Panax spp. in Kunming Institute of Botany, CAS

Abstract

Panax, a genus of the Araliaceae family, is an important herbal group in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Nine species and three varieties are included in the genus of Panax, in which nearly all species have been used for medicinal purposes. Among them, Panax notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen, Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer and Panax quinquefolius L. are the most representative and valuable herbs world-wide, with a long history of cultivation. As the main bioactive chemical constituents, saponins with different aglycones are the major components in various Panax spp., and their pharmacological activities are mainly reflected in the effects on blood system, cardio- and cerebro-vascular systems, nervous system, metabolism, and immune regulation. Researchers of Kunming Institute of Botany (KIB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), have put many efforts into conducting the investigations on Panax species. Herein, we reviewed the research progress on Panax spp. in KIB, CAS, over the past few decades, from the aspects of history and origin, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities.Graphical Abstract

GC-MS-based identification and statistical analysis of liposoluble components in the rhizosphere soils of Panax notoginseng

“…F. H. Chen (Araliaceae), a famous herbal medicine in the Ginseng family with various pharmaceutical and health benecial effects, has been historically cultivated in Wenshan district of Yunnan province and its adjacent areas of Guangxi province, China, for over 400 years. [1][2][3][4] Due to the rapidly increased demands and planting scales in recent decades, CCO has become a serious problem for notoginseng cultivation, resulting in the lack of suitable land plots for the plantation of P. notoginseng. 5 Previous studies have shown that allelochemicals contribute signicantly to the CCO problem.…”

Allelochemicals of Panax notoginseng and their effects on various plants and rhizosphere microorganisms

“…Although compounds 1 – 7 have been reported as secondary metabolites of various plants (e.g., Crataegus pinnatifida [ Chen et al., 2008 ], Eriobotrya japonica [ Ju et al., 2003 ], Psidium guajava [ Diwakar et al., 2016 ], Rheum tanguticum [ Gao et al., 2011 ]) and microorganisms ( Passari et al., 2017 ), none to date has been identified as the exudate of P. notoginseng , from which only tetracyclic triterpenes have been reported ( Qiao et al., 2018 ). Furthermore, P. notoginseng is not cultivated with any of the above-mentioned plants; therefore, these plants could not be the sources of 1 – 7 .…”

“…F. H. Chen (Araliaceae) is an important plant that is used in traditional Chinese medicine to promote blood circulation, treat bruises, and slow internal and external bleeding ( Gu et al., 2015 , Gu et al., 2017 , Ng, 2010 , Wang et al., 2006 ). This economically important herb has been cultivated for over 400 years, traditionally in southwestern China (c. 23.5° north latitude) between elevations of 1500–1800 m, particularly in Wenshan district and the junction areas of Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces ( Qiao et al., 2018 , Wang et al., 2016 ). The herb is normally planted three years before harvest, and is very sensitive to environmental factors (e.g., light, humidity and temperature), which leave it susceptible to root rot, a disease caused mainly by microbial infections ( Chen et al., 2002 ) that rots the root, withers the aerial part of plant, and ultimately leads to the death of the whole plant ( Wang et al., 2003 , Xun et al., 2013 ).…”

Quality evaluation of Panax notoginseng using high‐performance liquid chromatography with chemical pattern recognition

“…They have been used as a medicinal herb for >400 years [2]. The main bioactive components in P. notoginseng are saponins [3], which was widely used in the treatment of trauma, cardiovascular diseases, anti‐inflammatory, etc. [4].…”