Institute of Material Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Chin J Integr Med. 2009 Dec;15(6):403-8. doi: 10.1007/s11655-009-0403-6. Epub 2010 Jan 18.
In recent decades, scientists in Asian and Western countries have been paying great attention to ginseng research. Today, more than 200 ginsenosides and non-saponin constituents have been isolated and identified. Ginsenosides show biological activities only after being deglycosylated by intestinal bacteria. Aglycone protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol show the highest bioactivities. According to literature, the noticeable action of ginseng is that of delaying aging and especially increasing the nootropic effect, and it was found for the first time that Rg1 could increase hippocampal neurogenesis in vitro and in vivo under physiological and pathological circumstances. This is one of primary mechanisms underlying many of its pharmacological actions on the central nervous system. Rg1 was further shown to improve learning and memory in normal rats and mice. The nootropic signaling pathway has also been carried out in normal rats, and the Rg1-induced signaling pathway is similar to the memory formation that occurs in mammals, suggesting that Rg1 may have a potential effect in increasing intellectual capacity in normal people. Comparisons of chemical structures and pharmacologic functions between Panax ginseng and Panax quiquefolium were carried out by many scientists. The conclusion is that each has its own characteristics. There is no superiority or inferiority to the other.
近几十年来，亚洲和西方国家的科学家们一直高度关注人参研究。如今，已经分离和鉴定出了 200 多种人参皂苷和非皂苷成分。人参皂苷只有在被肠道细菌去糖基化后才会表现出生物活性。苷元原人参二醇和原人参三醇显示出最高的生物活性。根据文献记载，人参的显著作用是延缓衰老，特别是增加益智作用，并且首次发现 Rg1 可以在生理和病理条件下增加体外和体内海马神经发生。这是其对中枢神经系统许多药理作用的主要机制之一。Rg1 进一步显示出在正常大鼠和小鼠中改善学习和记忆的作用。在正常大鼠中也进行了益智信号通路的研究，Rg1 诱导的信号通路与人脑中发生的记忆形成相似，这表明 Rg1 可能对提高正常人的智力有潜在作用。许多科学家对人参和西洋参的化学结构和药理功能进行了比较。结论是，各有特点，没有优劣之分。
