TITLE:
Comparing Ginsenoside Production in Leaves and Roots of Wild American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)
AUTHORS:
James Matthew Searels, Karissa D. Keen, Jonathan L. Horton, H. David Clarke, Jennifer Rhode Ward
KEYWORDS:
American Ginseng; Chemotypes; Ginsenosides; HPLC; Medicinal Plants; Panax quinquefolius
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.4 No.6,
June
25,
2013
ABSTRACT: American
ginseng, Panax quinquefolius L., is
an herbaceous perennial species that is destructively harvested for its
bioactive compounds called ginsenosides. The demand for this herb fosters
illegal poaching and over-harvesting that reduces genetic variability and
population viability. Five wild populations in western North Carolina were studied
to better understand the production of ginsenosides in leaf and root tissues.
Total ginsenoside concentration was significantly higher in leaves than roots,
though total yield was higher in roots due to greater root biomass. However,
some ginsensosides (Rb2, Rd and Re) had higher or more consistent yields in
leaves than roots, so might be developed into a sustainable source of these
medicinally-active compounds. Additionally, we identified regional root
chemotypes that differed in the production of the ginsenosides Rg1 and Re and
could be developed into regional cultivars depending on the desired panel of
ginsenosides.