Ginseng roots

Side effects may be as mild and rare as headache, nausea, and stomach upset for saw palmetto [23,24], However, some supplements may have serious side effects. Hypertension, euphoria, restlessness, nervousness, insomnia, skin eruptions, edema, and diarrhea were reported in 22 patients following long-term ginseng use at an average dose of 3 g of ginseng root daily [38]. Side effects reported with valerian use include headaches, hangover, excitability, insomnia, uneasiness, and cardiac disturbances. Valerian toxicity including ataxia, decreased sensibility, hypothermia, hallucinations, and increased muscle relaxation have been reported [39]. 

Luo, Y.M., Cheng, X.J., and Yuan, W.X., Effects of ginseng root saponins and ginsenoside Rbl on immunity in cold water swim stress mice and rats, Zhongguo Yao Li Xue Bao, 14, 401, 1993. 

The content of total and individual ginsenosides does not only vary between plant organs and species. In particular, the content of ginsenosides in ginseng roots also depends on growing conditions and age of the roots, and internal root size (root hairs, lateral roots, and main roots) (Christensen et al, 2006 Court et ah, 1996b Soldati and Tanaka, 1984 Wills and Stuart, 2001). 

Finally, it has been shown that storage of dried ginseng roots and its powder at low temperatures ( 5 °C) can last for at least 3 months without... 

FIGURE 1.9 Ginseng roots from 6-year-old American ginseng plants (Panax quinquefo-lium) grown in Denmark with root hairs, lateral roots, and main roots. Ginseng roots within the same species may not only differ in content of ginsenosides but also in root size. 

Besso, H., Kasai, R., Saruwatari, Y., Fuwa, T., and Tanaka, O. (1982). Ginsenoside-Raj and ginsenoside-Ra2, new dammarane saponins of ginseng roots. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 30, 2380-2385. 

Christensen, L. P., Jensen, M., and Kidmose, U. (2006). Simultaneous determination of ginsenosides and polyacetylenes in American ginseng root (Panax quinquefolium L.) by high-performance liquid chromatography. J. Agric. Food Chem. 54, 8995-9003. 

Corthout, J., Naessens, T., Apers, S., and Vlietinck, S. (1999). Quantitative determination of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng roots and ginseng preparations by thin layer chromatography-densitometry. /. Pharm. Biomed. Anal. 21,187-192. 

Davidson, V. J., Li, X., and Brown, R. B. (2004). Forced-air drying of ginseng roots 2. Control strategy for three-stage drying process. /. Food Eng. 63,369-373. 

Fuzzati, N., Gabetta, B., Jayakar, K., Pace, R., and Peterlongo, F. (1999). Liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometric identification of ginsenosides in Panax ginseng roots. /. Chromatogr. A 854, 69-79. 

Wang, H.-C., Chen, C.-R., and Chang, C. J. (2001a). Carbon dioxide extraction of ginseng root hair oil and ginsenosides. Food Ghem. 72, 505-509. 

Bhattacharya SK, Mitra SK. (1991). Anxiolytic activity of Panax ginseng roots an experimental study. J Ethnopharmacol. 34(1) 87-92. 

Itoh T, Zang YF, Murai S, Saito H. (1989). Effects of Panax ginseng root on the vertical and horizontal motor activities and on brain monoamine-related substances in mice. Planta Med. 55(5) 429-33. 

Protection of ischemic hippocampal neurons by ginsenoside Rbl, a main ingredient of ginseng root. Neurosci Res. 28(3) 191-200. 

Nah SY, McCleskey EW. (1994). Ginseng root extract inhibits calcium channels in rat sensory neurons through a similar path, but different receptor, as mu-type opioids. J Ethnopharmacol. 42(1) 45-51. Nah SY, Park HJ, McCleskey EW. (1995). A trace component of ginseng that inhibits Ca2+ channels through a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 92(19) 8739-43. 

Wang A, Cao Y, Wang Y, Zhao R, Liu C. (1995). [Effects of Chinese ginseng root and stem-leaf saponins on learning, memory, and biogenic monoamines of brain in rats]. Chung Kuo Chung Yao Tsa Chih. 20(8) 493-95. 

Wen TC, Yoshimura H, Matsuda S, Urn JH, Sakanaka M. (1996). Ginseng root prevents learning disability and neuronal loss in gerbils with 5-minute forebrain ischemia. Acta Neuropathol (Berlin). 91(1) 15-22. 

Mogil JS, Shin YH, McCleskey EW, Kim SC, Nah SY. (1998). Ginsenoside Rf, a trace component of ginseng root, produces anti nociception in mice. Brain Res. May 11 792(2) 218-28. 

Fig. 2.3 HPLC analysis of ginsenosides recovered from the spent medium of Trichoderma hamatum and Pythium irregulare isolates. A ginsenoside mixture extracted from 3-year-old ginseng roots was added to the culture medium of both T. hamatum and Pythium irregulare, recovered after several days of incubation and analyzed by HPLC. The profile of ginsenosides added to the culture medium (a) included ginsenosides Rgi, Re, Rbi, Rba, Rc, Rd, and F2, as well as gypenoside XVII (G-XVII). (b-e) Profiles of ginsenosides recovered from T. hamatum isolate 3-323 (b), and Pythium irregulare isolates BR 486 (c), BR 598 (d), and BR 1068 (e).

Punja ZK et al (2007) Diversity of Fusarium species associated with discolored ginseng roots in British Columbia. Can J Plant Pathol 29 340... 

Yousef LF, Bernards MA (2006) In vitro metabohsm of ginsenosides by the ginseng root pathogen Pythium irregulare. Phytochemistry 67 1740... 

As phenolics are well-known antioxidant agents, the Folin-Ciocalteau total phenolics assay was performed to assess phenolic content in ginseng roots. This assay was performed as described by Singleton et al. [20] with modifications [21]. Briefly, extract dissolved in 70% methanol was combined with Folin-Ciocalteau reagent, incubated for 5 min, and then 7.5% NaHCOs was added. Samples were transferred into microplate wells in triplicate, incubated in darkness for 2 h, and then absorbance read at 725 nm. Samples were blanked against a treatment with only solvent. A standard curve of quercetin was produced and data were expressed as quercetin equivalents. 

Fig. 7.2 HPLC-DAD chromatogram of one Ontario ginseng root sample...

Fig. 7.3 Radical scavenging activity as measured in the DPPH assay versus (a) total ginsenoside content (% w/w) and (b) total phenolics (pg quercetin per mg extract) of eight ginseng root samples (n = 3). The log IC50 of each sample was divided by the log IC50 of the standard ascorbic acid to...

Assinewe VA, Arnason JT, Aubry A, et al (2002) Extractable polysaccharides of Panax quinquefolius L. (North American ginseng) root stimulate TNFa production by alveolar macrophages. Phytomedicine 9 398 04... 

Kitts DD, Popovich G, Hu C (2007) Characterizing the mechanism for ginsenoside-induced cytotoxicity in cultured leukemia (THP-1) cells. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 85 1173-1183 Dascalu A, Sievenpiper JL, Jenkins AL, et al (2007) Five batches representative of Ontario-grown American ginseng root produce comparable reductions of postprandial glycemia in healthy individuals. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 85 856-864... 

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