Chikusetsu Ninjin

Saponins of P. japonicus Rhizomes (Japanese Chikusetsu-Ninjin and Chinese... 

Saponins of Leaves of P. japonicus (Japanese Chikusetsu-Ninjin). 55... 

P.japonicus C. A. Meyer = P.pseudo-ginseng Wall, suhsp. japonicus (Meyer) Hara (79) [Japanese name Chikusetsu-ninjin or Tochiba-ninjin, Chinese name Zhujie-shen, Zhao-shen or Zhujie-sanchi, wild throughout Japan and also in southern China (50)]... 

Chikusetsu-ninjin, the rhizome of P.japonicus which grows wild throughout Japan has been used as a stomachic, expectorant and antipyretic in traditional medicine. 

A Chinese-Japanese cooperative chemical study 104) of the rhizomes of this plant from Zhaotong, Yunnan at 2100m led to isolation of the oleanolic acid saponins, G-IV, C-IVa, and C-V in yields of 3.4, 2.8, and 3.1%. In this respect, then Zhujie-shen is very similar to Japanese Chikusetsu-ninjin. However, the composition of the dammarane saponin fraction of Zhujie-shen which consisted of Rd (0.04% yield). Re (0.12%), Rgi(0.15%), Rg (0.05%), NG-R2(0.02%, see Chapter VIII-2, Table II) and pseudo-ginsenoside-Fii (PG-Fn, 0.04%, an ocotillol-type saponin from leaves of Himalayan Panax and also from leaves of American Ginseng, see Chapter IX-2), was significantly different from that of the Japanese plant. 

Pharmacological activities of the callus 198) and leaves 199) of Panax ginseng and pharmacological properties of saponins of Panax japonicus (Chikusetsu-ninjin) have also been described 200, 201). 

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