A COMPARATIVE-STUDY ON COMMERCIAL SAMPLES OF GINSENG-RADIX

A total of 37 commercial samples of Ginseng Radix, the origins of whic h belonged to Panax ginseng C. AI Meyer, P. quinquefolia Linn. (Americ an ginseng), and P. notoginseng Burkill (sanchi-ginseng), respectively , were collected from the Taiwan herbal markets. The contents of nine ginsenosides, Rb-1, Rb-2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg(1), Rg(2), R(0), and thre e malonylginsenosides, mRb(1), mRb(2), mRc, in these samples were dete rmined by high-performance liquid chromatography. It was found that th e saponin contents in P. notoginseng and P. quinquefolia were generall y higher than in P. ginseng. The ginsenosides that were of the highest contents in the white-ginseng, red-ginseng, and shihchu-ginseng sampl es of P. ginseng were Rb-1 and Rg(1), those in the root-hair of P. gin seng were Rb-1 and Re, those in P. notoginseng were Rb-1, Rg(1) and Rd , and those in P. quinquefolia were Rb-1, Re, and mRb(1). Among the sa mples, those of P. quinquefolia did not contain Rf and Rg(2), whilst t hose of shihchu-ginseng and red-ginseng of P. ginseng contained none o r only traces of the malonylginsenosides. From the data of chemical an alysis of a herb's constituents and its external appearance, we can po stulate not only the quality but also the origin of the herb.