Abstract
From rhizomes of Panax japonicus collected in Yunnan, China (Chinese name : Zhujie-Shen), various oleanolic acid saponins, chikusetsusaponins-IVa (1), -IV (7) and -V (2) were isolated in high yields, together with the methyl ester of 2. All these compounds have already been isolated from rhizomes of the same species of Japanese (Japanese name : Chikusetsu-Ninjin) and Himalayan Panax (P. pseudo-ginseng WALL. subsp. himalaicus HARA). On the other hand, dammarane saponins of Zhujie-Shen were found to consist of ginsenosides-Rd (3), -Re (9), -Rg1 (10), -Rg2 (11), notoginsenoside-R2 (4) and pseudo-ginsenoside-F11 (13), being significantly different from those of Chikusetsu-Ninjin and Himalayan Panax. No characteristic morphological difference in external or internal structures was observed between the Chinese and Japanese specimens.
