Triterpenoids from Panax Linn. and Their Relationship with Taxonomy and Geographical Distribution

Yunnan Institute of Botany

Received:1900-01-01 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:1975-04-18 Published:1975-04-18
Contact: Yunnan Institute of Botany

Abstract:

This article deals with the distribution of triterpenoids in Chinese: species of

Panax. The results of investigation show that the tetracyclic triterpenoids of dam-

marane type are the main constituents in Ginseng (P. Ginseng C. A. Meyer) and

Sanchii (P. notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen) and that pentacyelic triterpenoids of

oleanane type are the main constituents in P. pseudo-ginseng Wall., P. zingiberensis

C. Y. Wu et K. M. Feng, P. japonicus C. A. Meyer and its variety (var. angustifolius,

var. major, var. bipinnatifidus) and P. stipuleanatus H. T. Tsai et K. M. Feng. The

fact that the Chinese people had found out herbs with such high therapeutic effects

as Ginseng and Sanchii through long medical practices shows it to have been achieved

not without modern scientific ground. Tetracyelic triterpenoids of dammarane type

is one of the active constituent of Ginseng and Sanchii, while, on the contrary, the

pentacyclic triterpenoids of oleanane type have yet inactive physiologic properties. '

Through the comparative study of triterpenoids constituents together with the

taxonomy and the geographic distribution of various species of Chinese Panax, it

shows that Panax as a whole may be divided into two main groups: the first group,

having rather short erect rhizomes, fleshy carrotlike roots and larger seeds, is cor-

responding to those species with their main constituents as the tetracyclic triterpenoids

of dammarane type and their areas in dispersal being often limited and disjunct. The

second group, that possesses long creeping rhizomes, usually with no well developed

fleshy roots and bearing smaller seeds, correlates to those species invariably with

continual distribution and their main constituents are pentacyclic triterpenoids of

oleanane type. Therefore, it is suggested that in comparing with the latter group,

the former is perhaps more primitive, and Sanchi (P. notoginseng (Burk.) F. H.

Chen) may be the oldest member among living species of Panax. On the other land, it

is found that in external morphology, P. pseudo-ginseng Wall. belongs to the former

group, but its chemical constituents are nevertheless similar to the latter. On such

account, it seems evident that P. pseudo-ginseng Wall. constitutes a transitional type

between these two groups, and reveals there by some historical relationship of these

two groups.

Yunnan Institute of Botany. Triterpenoids from Panax Linn. and Their Relationship with Taxonomy and Geographical Distribution[J]. .

Knowledge