• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.183-187
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• 2003

This study was carried out to ascertain the basic information on characteristics of Korean Ginseng(Panax ginseng) and American ginseng(Panax quinquefolius), F$_1$ hybrids. Interspecies hybrids between Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius were examined morphological characteristics, rusty root incidence, and contents of effective ingredients such as ginsenosides. The summarized results are as follows. In Panax ginseng, rusty root incidence tended to increase with age of ginseng, but there was no difference in the incidence among ginseng ages and cultivation years in Panax quinquefolius and F$_1$ hybrid. The interspecies hybrid of panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius flowered later than the Panax ginseng, but earlier than the Panax quinquefolius. As for the characteristics of ginseng root, Panax quinquefolius seedling was better than cv. Panax ginseng, as the former had longer and heavier seedling root than the latter. Ginsenosides of the hybrid F$_1$ showed intermediate value in amounts of Rb$_1$, Rb$_2$, Rc and Rd which were detected as in Panax gineng and Panax quinquefolius. The amount of Re of the hybrid was higher, but that of Rg$_1$ and Rg$_2$ in main and branch roots was lower compared with its parents. Rf was 0.14% and 0.20% in main and branch roots of Panax ginseng, respectively; however, no Rf was detected in Panax quinquefolius and in the hybrid F$_1$. This suggests there may be remarkable difference in Rf content among the ginseng species.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.463-468
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• 2017

Background: Both Panax ginseng Meyer and Panax quinquefolius are obligate shade-loving plants whose natural habitats are broadleaved forests of Eastern Asia and North America. Panax species are easily damaged by photoinhibition when they are exposed to high temperatures or insufficient shade. In this study, a cytohistological study of the leaf structures of two of the most well-known Panax species was performed to better understand the physiological processes that limit photosynthesis. Methods: Leaves of ginseng plants grown in soil and hydroponic culture were sectioned for analysis. Leaf structures of both Panax species were observed using a light microscope, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope. Results: The mesostructure of both P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius frequently had one layer of non-cylindrical palisade cells and three or four layers of spongy parenchymal cells. P. quinquefolius contained a similar number of stomata in the abaxial leaf surface but more tightly appressed enlarged grana stacks than P. ginseng contained. The adaxial surface of the epidermis in P. quinquefolius showed cuticle ridges with a pattern similar to that of P. ginseng. Conclusion: The anatomical leaf structure of both P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius shows that they are typical shade-loving sciophytes. Slight differences in chloroplast structure suggests that the two different species can be authenticated using transmission electron microscopy images, and light-resistant cultivar breeding can be performed via controlling photosynthesis efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.502-508
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• 2002

The strains of Panax ginseng C.A. Mey., P. quinquefolius L. and selected strains P. ginseng-B, P.ginseng-A, P. quinquefolius-C were investigated. Activities of SOD, catalase and peroxydase were determined by methods of Fridovich et al. (1979), Komov et al.(1975), Bovaird et al.(1982) respectively. Activities of SOD, catalase, peroxydase were investigated every day 5 in cycle of cultivation. For P. ginseng it was the 35 days, P. quinquefolius the 70 days, P. quinquefolius-C 90 days. P. ginseng-B 90 days, P. ginseng-A 60 days. The P. quinquefolius, P. quinquefolius-C, P. ginseng-B had clear differentiation and developed tracheid elements, which are absent in strain of P. ginseng. The peaks of protein content for P. ginseng (4.5 units/g) and for P. quinquefolius (3.5 units/g) were on day 10 and remained unchanged till the last cultivation. The strain P. ginseng-A had two peaks of protein content (2.5 mg/g) on day 15 and on day 30. For P. ginseng-B strain these peaks were on day 5 and day 40 (3.5 mg/g). Peroxydase activity peak (60 units/g) in P. ginseng strain was on day 10. This activity in P. ginseng-B had two peaks on day 15 and day 35 and reached 95 units/g , increasing to 150 units/g to day 80. In strain of P. ginseng-A was only one maximum of this activity -130 units/g on day 45. In P. quinquefolius peroxydase activity was 103 units/g on day 40, increasing to 135 units/g to day 90. For P. quinquefolius-C this activity peak was 136 units/g on day 60. Peroxydase activities for the upper and lower layers of biomass was different and varied considerably from 28-35 units/g in lower to 270-290 units/g for upper layer. The SOD activity had two peaks in P. ginseng strain the 80 units/g and the 70 units/g on day 20 and day 35 respectively. Activity of SOD in P. quinquefolius strain reached 53 units/g on day 40 and increased up to 83 units/g to day 60.The similar increase of SOD activity was marked for P. ginseng-B to 85 units/g on day 90. In P. ginseng strain the 6 molecular isoforms SOD was defined. One of them with RfO,6 was determined in all days of cycle, three other (Rf-0.43; 0.54;0.80) only on day 10 and day 20. The isoform of SOD with Rf-0,29 was detected only on day 10 and with Rf-0,35 only on day 35. The catalase activity decreased in all strains to the last days of cultivation. The changes of SOD, catalase and peroxydase activities reflect the differences between the strains of Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius and their selected forms. The correlation between maximum life span of strains and activities of their antioxydant enzymes were detected.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.415-422
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• 2016

Background: Rare ginsenosides in Panax quinquefolius L. have strong bioactivities. The fact that it is hard to obtain large amounts of rare ginsenosides seriously restricts further research on these compounds. An easy, fast, and efficient method to obtain different kinds of rare ginsenosides simultaneously and to quantify each one precisely is urgently needed. Methods: Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was used to extract nine kinds of rare ginsenosides from P. quinquefolius L. In this article, rare ginsenosides [20(S)-Rh1, 20(R)-Rh1, Rg6, F4, Rk3, 20(S)-Rg3, 20(R)-Rg3, Rk1, and Rg5] were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. The quantity information of rare ginsenosides was analyzed by HPLC-UV at 203 nm. Results: The optimal conditions for MAE were using water as solvent with the material ratio of 1:40 (w/v) at a temperature of $145^{\circ}C$, and extracting for 15 min under microwave power of 1,600 W. Seven kinds of rare ginsenosides [20(S)-Rh1, 20(R)-Rh1, Rg6, F4, Rk3, Rk1, and Rg5] had high extraction yields, but those of 20(S)-Rg3 and 20(R)-Rg3 were lower. Compared with the conventional method, the extraction yields of the nine rare ginsenosides were significantly increased. Conclusion: The results indicate that rare ginsenosides can be extracted effectively by MAE from P. quinquefolius L. in a short time. Microwave radiation plays an important role in MAE. The probable generation process of rare ginsenosides is also discussed in the article. It will be meaningful for further investigation or application of rare ginsenosides.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2002

Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) has become one of the most valuable herb crops grown in North America. However, traditional cropping practices are favourable to disease and significant losses due to root disease are common, despite frequent use of fungicides. Seedlots are often contaminated with pathogens, however, little is known about the causes of seed decay and the role of seed pathogens as incitants of root rots. It was shown that both Fusarium spp. and Cylindrocarpon destructans were able to rot seeds and that C. destructans was more virulent than Fusarium spp. on seedling roots. A modified rose bengal agar MRBA) medium (1 g KH$_2$PO$_4$; 0.5 g MgSO$_4$; 50 mg rose bengal; 10 g dextrose; 5 g Bacto peptone; 15 g Bacto agar; 30 mg streptomycin sulfate; 250 mg ampicillin; 10 mg rifampicin; 500mg pentachloronitrobenzene; 500 mg dicloran; and 1 L distilled water) was superior to potato dextrose agar in detecting C. destuctans in diseased roots. Isolation of C. destructans from diseased seedlings arising from seeds sown in replant soil supported the hypothesis that this pathogen is a cause of ginseng replant failure in North America.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.454-463
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• 2024

Background: Panax quinquefolius L, widely recognized for its valuable contributions to medicine, has aroused considerable attention globally. Different from the extensive research has been dedicated to the root of P. quinquefolius, its berry has received relatively scant focus. Given its promising medicinal properties, this study was focused on the structural characterizations and anti-inflammatory potential of acidic polysaccharides from the P. quinquefolius berry. Materials and methods: P. quinquefolius berry was extracted with hot water, precipitated by alcohol, separated by DEAE-52-cellulose column to give a series of fractions. One of these fractions was further purified via Sephadex G-200 column to give three fractions. Then, the main fraction named as AGBP-A3 was characterized by methylation analysis, NMR spectroscopy, etc. Its anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by RAW 264.7 cell model, zebrafish model and molecular docking. Results: The main chain comprised of α-L-Rhap, α-D-GalAp and β-D-Galp, while the branch consisted mainly of α-L-Araf, β-D-Glcp, α-D-GalAp, β-D-Galp. The RAW264.7 cell assay results showed that the inhibition rates against IL-6 and IL-1β secretion at the concentration of 625 ng/mL were 24.83 %, 11.84 %, while the inhibition rate against IL-10 secretion was 70.17 % at the concentration of 312 ng/mL. In the zebrafish assay, the migrating neutrophils were significantly reduced in number, and their migration to inflammatory tissues was inhibited. Molecular docking predictions correlated well with the results of the anti-inflammatory assay. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated the structure of acidic polysaccharides of P. quinquefolius berry and their effect on inflammation, providing a reference for screening anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.347-356
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• 2008

Forest-grown American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) is exposed to daily and seasonal light variations. Our goal was to determine the effect of understory light changes on the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II, expressed as $F_v/F_m$, and photosynthetic pigment composition of two-year-old plants. Understory light photon flux density and sunfleck durations were characterized using hemispherical canopy photography. Our results showed that understory light significantly affected the $F_v/F_m$ of American ginseng, especially during the initial development of the plants when light levels were the highest, averaging 28 mol $m^{-2}d^{-1}$. Associated with low $F_v/F_m$ during its initial development, American ginseng had the lowest levels of epoxidation state of the xanthophyll cycle of the season, suggesting an active dissipation of excess light energy absorbed by the chlorophyll pigments. As photon flux density decreased after the deployment of the forest canopy to less than 10 mol $m^{-2}d^{-1}$, chlorophyll a/b decreased suggesting a greater investment in light harvesting pigments to reaction centers in order to absorb the fleeting light energy.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.160-167
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• 2010

Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) are the two most recognized ginseng botanicals. It is believed that the ginseng saponins called ginsenosides are the major active constituents in both ginsengs. Although American ginseng is not as extensively studied as Asian ginseng, it is one of the best selling herbs in the US, and has garnered increasing attention from scientists in recent years. In this article, after a brief introduction of the distribution and cultivation of American ginseng, we discuss chemical analysis of saponins from these two ginsengs, i.e., their similarities and differences. Subsequently, we review pharmacological effects of the saponins, including the effects on the cardiovascular system, immune system, and central nervous system as well as the anti-diabetes and anti-cancer effects. These investigations were mainly derived from American ginseng studies. We also discuss evidence suggesting that chemical modifications of ginseng saponins would be a valuable approach to develop novel compounds in drug discovery.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.75-75
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• 2003

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.76-76
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• 2003