Fuente: Molecules - Revista científica (MDPI) Molecules, Vol. 31, Pages 1570: Comparative Analysis of the Ginsenosides in Panax vietnamensis and Three Panax Species
Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules31101570
Authors:
Jiaxian Su
Kuntao Xu
Qimin Chen
Zhaosen Jia
You Deng
Mengjiao Zhu
Chongnan Wang
Lixia Zhang
Xiaojun Ma
Zuliang Luo

Panax vietnamensis Ha et Grushv. (Vietnamese ginseng) is a plant of the Panax genus, Araliaceae family. It is a rare medicinal plant found in China and Vietnam, known for its structurally diverse ginsenosides, and holds significant value in the pharmaceutical and health food sectors. As market demand and its value continue to rise, the P. vietnamensis industry has developed rapidly. However, since Vietnamese ginseng is difficult to distinguish from other Panax materials based on appearance, especially Panax notoginseng, there is a lack of relevant standards for quality control. In this study, UPLC-Q/TOF-MS technology was employed for the qualitative identification and comparative analysis of ginsenosides in different parts of P. vietnamensis and three other Panax species. Additionally, an UFLC-MS/MS method was established to determine the content of 21 ginsenosides in P. vietnamensis. Based on the UPLC-Q/TOF-MS analysis, 55 ginsenosides were preliminarily identified, including 30 protopanaxadiol-type, 21 protopanaxatriol-type, 3 ocotillol-type, and 1 oleanane-type ginsenosides. Further comparative analysis revealed variations in the ginsenosides of P. vietnamensis and three Panax species, identifying 41 components present in all species, while 14 saponins were detected only in some species. Compared to three Panax species, the main roots of P. vietnamensis contained characteristic components such as majonoside R2, majonoside R1, and vinaginsenoside R2. Quantitative analysis of 21 ginsenosides in different Panax species indicated that P. vietnamensis and P. notoginseng contained higher levels of ginsenoside Rg1, Rd, Rb1, and notoginsenoside R1. For instance, the average content of ginsenoside Rg1 in P. vietnamensis was 25.57 mg/g. Quantitative analysis of ginsenosides in different parts of P. vietnamensis revealed that the taproots and fibrous roots had a diverse array of ginsenosides with higher concentrations, while the stems and leaves contained fewer ginsenosides with lower levels. Significantly, certain components such as notoginsenoside Re and ginsenoside Rd, Re, and Rb2 were present at higher concentrations in the leaves. Based on the qualitative and quantitative analysis results of ginsenosides from different parts of P. vietnamensis, it was concluded that the main roots, fibrous roots, and leaves all have potential for development and utilization.