Saponin and ginsenosides are very important as medicinal components of ginseng. These components are significantly different according to Panax species, cultivation area, or manufactured products. In this research, we comparatively analyzed the characteri

The objective of this study was to assess genetic diversity among 6 different wild ginseng populations from New York, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia, and to compare these wild populations to one cultivated population. RAPD markers were used to estimate the genetic difference among samples from the 7 populations. The 64 random primers were screened, and 15 primers were selected which exhibited the 124 highly reproducible polymorphic markers. The ratio of discordant bands to total bands scored was used to estimate the genetic distance within and among populations. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) of the relation matrix showed distinctive separation between wild and cultivated populations. The MDS result was confirmed using pooled chi-square tests for fragment homogeneity. This study suggests that RAPD markers can be used as population-specific markers for American ginseng.

To evaluate the effects of cultivar, environment, age and cultivation times on ginsenoside content among 8 wild populations of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium), the concentrations of 6 ginsenosides in root were determined at the time of collection (T0) of plants from the wild and 1 year after (T1) transplanting the roots to each of two different forest garden locations. Both location and population had significant effects on root and shoot growth. Overall, ginsenoside Rb1 was most abundant. The second most abundant ginsenoside were Re and Rg1, however the contents of them were not significantly different from each other. Concentrations of Rg1 and Re were inversely related. Ginsenoside Re was influenced by population and location. Ginsenoside Rg1, Rb1, Rc, Rb2 and Rd were influenced by population, location and age. Ginsenoside levels were consistently lower but growth was consistently higher at the more intensively managed garden location.

인삼 성분육종의 기초자료를 얻고자 동일한 생육환경하에서 생육한 4년생 이종인삼의 부위별 조사포닌 및 각 ginsenoside의 함량을 분석하였던 바 그 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 잎과 줄기에 함유된 조사포린 함량은 미국삼이 고려인삼인 자경종, 황숙종보다 많았으며 줄기보다는 잎에서 조사포닌함량이 높았다. 2. 뿌리의 조사포닌함량은 잎, 줄기와 같이 미국삼이 고려인삼인 자경종과 황숙종보다 높은 경향이었다. 3. 잎과 줄기 및 뿌리에 함유된 조사포닌의 panaxatriol 및 panaxadiol계 saponin의 함량비(PT/PD)는 잎과 줄기에서는 1.5~3.7:1. triol 계사포닌이 많은 반면 뿌리에서는 1:1~1.5로서 diol계사포닌이 많았다. 4. 각품종 공히 잎과 줄기에 함유된 ginsenoside종류에는 차이가 없었으나 -Rg2 , -Re, -Rc 등은 줄기에, -Rg1 , -Rd, -Rb1 은 잎에 다량 함유되어있었다. 5. 인삼뿌리에 함유된 ginsenoside는 -Rg1 , -Re, -Rb1 등이 많이 함유되었으며 고려인삼에서는 -Re가, 미국삼에서는 -Rb1 이 가장 많이 검출되었는데 특히 미국삼에서는 -Ro, -Ra, -Rf, -Rg2 가 검출되지 않았다.