| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Panax notoginseng </it>is an important Chinese medicinal plant. Dammarene-type triterpenoid saponins are main pharmacologically effective compounds in <it>P. notoginseng</it>. This study aims to investigate the formation and accumulation of saponins in <it>P. notoginseng </it>roots during germination and juvenile stage.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p><it>P. notoginseng </it>seeds were collected and stored in wet sand. After germination, the seedlings were transplanted into a soil nursery bed and cultivated for one year. During this period, samples were collected every month and the concentrations of ginsengnosides Rg<sub>1</sub>, Re, Rb<sub>1</sub>, Rd and notoginsengnoside R<sub>1 </sub>were determined by HPLC.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was little saponin in the <it>P. notoginseng </it>seed. The chemical composition of seed was different from that of root. After germination, Rb<sub>1</sub>, Rg<sub>1</sub>, Re, Rd and R<sub>1 </sub>appeared successively in the seedling root. And in the five-month-old root, all these five main saponins came into existence. The accumulation of saponins in <it>P. notoginseng </it>root was affected by seasons.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The accumulation of saponins showed a time-dependent increase after germination of <it>P. notoginseng</it>.</p>
|
|---|