Abstract
Panax ginseng, P. quinquefolius and P. notoginseng, including white ginseng and red ginseng prepared by air-drying and steaming or heating processes, respectively, are widely used herbal medicines which require rigorous quality control to assure their consistent bioactivities. Therefore, many analytical methodologies have been developed, primarily with a focus on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). On the contrary, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against ginsenosides such as ginsenosides- Rb1, -Rg1, -Re, and notoginsenoside R1 were applied to newly developed techniques like the eastern blotting system, one-step separation method, and preparation of knockout extract from ginseng. The anticancer activities of red ginseng are significantly increased due to the production of active anticancer ginsenosides during steam processing compared to white ginseng, resulting in the induction of apoptosis/paraptosis and inhibition of angiogenesis. Future studies should focus on characterizing active red ginseng derivatives as potential anticancer drugs. Cognitive activities of major ginsenosides and their mechanisms were also widely confirmed. Clinical trials of ginseng administered to Alzheimer's patients confirmed its activity without side effects, with the result that ginseng may be a potential new medicine to treat Alzheimer's disease.
