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.
