Family

Araliaceae

Genus

Panax

Common Name

ginger ginseng

Plant Figure

Description

Panax zingiberensis (known as ginger ginseng) is mainly distributed in southwestern China centered in Yunnan Province and has been extensively used in Chinese traditional medicine. The root and rhizome contain high amounts of dammarane-type and oleanane-type ginsenosides, mainly including ginsenoside Rg1, Rb1, Ro, chikusetsusaponin IV, and IVa. Therefore, P. zingiberensis is a perfect plant species for studying the biosynthesis of oleanane-type ginsenosides.