Ginseng ordinary description. Medicinal plants Distinctive features of ginseng from similar species

Radices Ginseng - Rootsginseng

Common ginseng - Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.

Araliaceae family - Araliaceae

Other names:

- real ginseng

- panax ginseng

- root of life

Botanical characteristic. Perennial herbaceous plant, reaching the age of 70-100 years or more. It has a juicy tap root, which usually gives one above-ground stem, at the top of which there is a whorl of 4-5 leaves. The leaves are long-petiolate, palmately compound, the leaflets are elliptical, pointed, finely serrate. The two lower leaves are much smaller than the others. A simple umbrella emerges from the center of the leaf whorl on a long peduncle, bearing small greenish nondescript flowers. The fruits are bright red juicy berry-like drupes with two seeds, closely pressed to each other, forming a "red ball", clearly visible in autumn among green foliage. Blossoms in June, fruits are formed in July-August.

Spreading. It grows wild in Russia in the Far East, in the Ussuri taiga - in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories; also grows in China, Korea, Japan. However, wild plants are practically destroyed and their search does not always give positive results. Work is underway to cultivate ginseng in the Primorsky Territory, the North Caucasus and other places.

Habitat. Under the canopy of broad-leaved trees and shrubs. A shade-loving plant, therefore it does not grow in sparse forests with wide access to sunlight. It does not occur in wet areas, likes well-drained soils. Grows in single specimens.

Harvesting, primary processing and drying. The roots are carefully dug up after the seeds ripen, they are cleaned from the ground with a soft brush so as not to scratch the surface, it is not recommended to wash.

Harvesting wild ginseng is carried out only under licenses. Only fruit-bearing, well-developed plants with at least three leaves and a root weighing more than 10 g are subject to collection. Depending on the mass, they are divided into five varieties (GOST 10064-62).

Depending on the nature and degree of damage, the roots are divided into two groups: the 1st group includes roots in which one additional process is broken; roots with artificial or natural damage up to 5% of the surface of the main body or additional processes (scratches, skin breaks, etc.), roots with a damaged neck, head, but without breaking them. The second group includes roots with a breakage of one additional process, roots with natural or artificial damage from 5 to 10% of the surface of the main body or additional processes; roots without a head (buds).

The roots are dried in the sun or in dryers at a temperature of about 50 ° C, laying out in a thin layer.

In Korea and China, ginseng roots are subjected to a variety of special treatments. Red ginseng coming from Korea is obtained by exposure to hot water vapor for 30 minutes or more and subsequent drying at 30°C. When cooked, the starch turns into a paste and the dry root acquires a horn-like texture, becomes hard and heavy (thin roots are brittle), the color is reddish-brown on the outside and in the fracture. White ginseng is obtained by simple sun drying. In China, the fresh root is boiled in sugar syrup.

Standardization. The quality of dry raw materials is regulated by the requirements of the Global Fund XI.

Security measures. Collection of young roots weighing less than 10 g is not permitted. Although rare, there are specimens weighing 300-400 g from old, 100-200-year-old plants. Ginseng is a rare and valuable medicinal plant, so it must be carefully protected, otherwise it will be completely destroyed in the coming years. Everyone who is engaged in harvesting ginseng must remember that the search for plants should begin no earlier than in the first decade of August, only those plants that bear fruit in a given year should be dug up. In no case should young plants be dug up, since they are of no value either for procurement organizations or for use as medicinal raw materials at home. Ginseng fruits are harvested and buried in the soil to a depth of 4-5 cm. The root should be dug out of the ground with special bone spatulas, being careful not to break off the buds and not damage the root. Currently, ginseng is cultivated in China, Japan and more widely in Korea, where this branch of medicinal plant production plays a significant role in the country's economy. In Russia, it is grown in one of the specialized state farms "Ginseng" in the Primorsky Territory. The cultivation of ginseng is very peculiar and differs sharply from the cultivation of many plants. Growing ginseng is possible only if it is protected from the sun. The maximum weight of the roots of 5-6 years of age is 300 g or more. The roots of 6-year-old (commercial) plants grown in the Primorsky state farm surpass the roots of the same age of Korean ginseng in the content of extractive substances. The root is collected on plantations from plants aged 5-8 years. In terms of pharmacological action, cultivated ginseng is equivalent to wild-growing; besides, it is much cheaper.

External signs. In Chinese, ginseng means "root man". The name is given for the similarity of the root with a human figure. According to GOST and GF XI, a large root weighing 300 g consists of a cylindrical root neck, densely covered with scars from fallen stems, expanded from above and forming a head. A spindle-shaped main root departs from the neck - the "body" (up to 20 cm long), in the lower part it branches into two processes forming "legs", and 2-3 branches growing away from the "body" form "arms" at the top. The more the root looks like a human figure, the more it is valued. Root from cultivated plants up to 25 cm long, taproot, large, 0.7-2.5 cm in diameter, with 2-5 large branches, rarely without them. The "body" of the root is thickened, with pronounced annular outgrowths. The outer surface of the root is wrinkled. The color is yellowish white. The root fracture is even. When the root is soaked, wrinkling disappears and the surface becomes smooth. The smell is specific. The taste is sweet, burning, bitter when chewed. The content of extractives extracted with 70% ethanol must be at least 20%

Microscopy. The cross section of the root is characterized by a wide bark; elements of xylem and phloem are located in narrow radial strands separated by wide, multi-row medullary rays. The phloem contains secretory canals with yellow and light yellow contents; in the outer cortex there are 2-3 more rows of secretory canals with drops of red-brown content. Xylem consists of narrow vessels located radially in one, less often in two rows, and small cells of woody parenchyma. Starch grains are round, simple or 2-6-complex. Some cells contain druses of calcium oxalate.

quality reactions. When a drop of concentrated sulfuric acid is applied to the ginseng root powder, after 1-2 minutes, a brick-red color appears, turning into red-violet, and then into violet (glycosides).

Numerical indicators. The content of extractive substances extracted with 70% alcohol is not less than 20%; moisture not more than 13%; total ash no more than 5%; roots, darkened and brownish from the surface, no more than 10%.

Chemical composition. Ginseng root contains a mixture of triterpene tetracyclic saponins of the dammarane series - panaxosides (ginsenosides). In addition, the roots contain essential oil (0.25-0.5%), pectin (up to 23%), vitamins B 1, B 2, etc., micro and macro elements, starch (up to 20%), daukosterin .

Storage. In warehouses, the root is stored packaged in 1 kg bags in cellophane bags, packed in 10 kg each in tightly knocked together wooden boxes lined with paper. When unpacking the boxes, the roots are transferred to glass jars with a lid. Shelf life 2 years 6 months.

Medicines. Tincture.

Application. For many centuries, ginseng root has been used in all countries of the Far East. He is credited with all-healing properties. In all countries of the world, ginseng root is also widely used. The works of scientists of the Far Eastern Scientific Center have established that the plant has a tonic, stimulating and adaptogenic effect in case of physical and mental fatigue, disorders of the cardiovascular system, hypofunction of the gonads, neurasthenia, after suffering debilitating diseases.

Works on the study of ginseng and its analogues. The difficulties of growing ginseng on plantations, the extremely insignificant reserves of wild (relic) plants in nature prompted the search for new plants, analogues of ginseng, in the Far Eastern flora. The search for such plants - analogues of ginseng - was carried out according to the principle of botanical kinship, while plants of the same Araliaceae family were studied. As a result of the great work done by the scientists of the Far Eastern Scientific Center in Vladivostok and VILR, plants have been proposed that have tonic properties: Echinopanax high (zamaniha), Aralia Manchurian and Eleutherococcus (however, it does not contain saponins). Currently, a lot of work is being done on the study of ginseng leaves (St. Petersburg Chemical and Pharmaceutical Institute, BIN named after VL Komarov RAS and the Ginseng state farm) and the prospect of their use as a root substitute has been revealed. The issue of the raw material base based on ginseng plantations for the medical industry has been studied. In the leaves of ginseng, as well as in the root, triterpene mycosides - ginsenosides and flavonoids were found. The content of the total glycoside fraction in the leaves was higher than in the roots. Thus, ginseng cultivated in the Primorye Territory can be a promising raw material for the production of medical preparations; in addition, it opens up the possibility of waste-free use of the plant

Ginseng - Panax ginseng C.A.M.
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Other names: Ginseng.

Diseases and effects: atherosclerosis, heart disease, early stages of tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, sexual impotence, anemia, hypotension, neurosis, neurasthenia, psychasthenia, insomnia, bleeding, rheumatism, exhaustion, loss of strength, myocardial dystrophy.

Active substances: triterpene glycosides, panaxsaponin, panaquillon, mucous substances, resinous substances, phytosterols, fatty acids, essential oil, panacen, vitamin B 1, vitamin B 2, ascorbic acid, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, aluminum, silicon, barium, strontium, manganese, sugars, starch, pectins, fiber, nitrogenous substances, nitrogen-free extractives, enzymes.

Plant collection and preparation time: June July August.

Botanical description of ginseng

Ginseng is a perennial herb of the family Araliaceae (Araliaceae).

Translated from Chinese, "ginseng" means "root man". This name is given by the similarity of the roots of the plant with the figure of a person. The scientific Latin name for the plant was given by the famous Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus. It comes from the Greek word "panacea", which means "a remedy for all diseases." Ginseng was introduced to Europe at the beginning of the 18th century.

Root thick, yellowish white, fleshy, slightly branched, cylindrical. The surface is wrinkled. The roots consist of a head, a long neck and a spindle-shaped root proper, branching at the bottom into two processes (lobe) 20-25 cm long, 2-2.5 cm in diameter. The rhizome forms a “cap” of the root. In the lower part, the root branches into two processes - the "legs", the upper part - the "arms" of the plant.

Stem height 30-70 cm, single.

Leaves(two or three) long-petiolate, palmate-five-parted at the base, leaflets with a sharp edge, obversely oval, with a wedge-like base and spines on the veins.

flowers white, sometimes pale pink, bisexual, collected in a simple umbrella of 15-20 flowers. The calyx is green. Ginseng flowers emit a faint aroma.

Fruit- bright red berries with two white flat seeds, the length of which is 3-6 cm.

Flowering time - June - July. At this time, an arrow with a simple umbrella rises from the center of the leaf rosette. The fruits ripen in August.

Wild ginseng blooms in the 10-11th year and can grow for 50-70 or more years. Sometimes the age of the plant reaches 100 years, and the weight of the root is 400 g.

In 1905, a plant was found that was 200 years old, and the root turned out to be the largest in history - 600 g.

Wild ginseng is taken under protection in nature reserves and is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

Distribution and habitat of ginseng

Ginseng is a rare relict plant found in the wild in virgin broadleaf-coniferous forests.

The plant is found in the Far East, in the Ussuriysk, Primorsky Territories and in the south of the Khabarovsk Territory. Ginseng can also be found in Northeast China and the Korean Peninsula.

It grows in mountain mixed and cedar forests, in thickets of shrubs and ferns, more often on loose, humus-rich soils of gentle slopes. The plant is afraid of direct sunlight.

Ginseng is also cultivated in plantations of medicinal plants. Many amateurs in Ukraine and Russia successfully grow ginseng in the garden.

Wild ginseng develops more slowly than cultivated ginseng.

Ginseng Harvesting

The gathering of wild-growing roots and rhizomes of ginseng has long been formed into a separate variety of traditional folk crafts.

Roots with rhizomes are harvested for medicinal purposes. Raw materials are harvested in early June (within 10-15 days), when ginseng stands out among other plants with its bright green stem, or in mid-July, during the flowering period, when the plant is noticeable with its pink or white flowers (short period). Collect the roots of the plant at 5-8 years of age. Ginseng is also harvested in the first half of August, when it is easy to find it by ripe red berries.

As the fruit ripens, the root becomes firmer and can be stored raw. This last period is the most favorable for harvesting wild ginseng.

In order not to inadvertently tear off the “neck” from the root, which sits deep in the ground, the plant is dug in with a bone shovel at a distance of 0.5-1 m and the whole root is taken out. Then it is carefully cleaned with a soft dry brush from the remains of the earth, stems, leaves, put in a box or a birch bark basket, covered with moss of medium humidity, covered with soil to the top and dried in this form. You can not wash the ginseng root. Dried, it should be tight to the touch and fresh.

In culture, the plant develops faster than in the wild, so the roots are harvested earlier.

Occasionally, the seeds of the plant are also collected.

The chemical composition of ginseng

The root contains triterpene glycosides panaxsaponin and panaquillon, mucous and resinous substances, phytosterols, fatty acids, essential oil (panacen), vitamins B 1 and B 2, ascorbic acid, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, aluminum, silicon, barium, strontium, manganese and etc. Sugars, starch, pectin substances, cellulose, nitrogenous and nitrogen-free extractive substances, enzymes were also found in the roots.

The plant is poisonous.

Pharmacological properties of ginseng

Despite the fact that ginseng has been used widely and for a long time, its various preparations (dosage forms) have been studied in detail only over the past 50 years on various types of laboratory animals. The main pharmacological feature of ginseng is its tonic effect. When studying its effect on the central nervous system, it was found that ginseng potentiates the effects of well-known stimulants and analeptics (caffeine, camphor, picrotoxin, phenamine) and is a physiological antagonist of the hypnotic effect of certain drugs (barbiturates, chloral hydrate, ethyl alcohol).

Under the action of herbal preparations of ginseng root, an increase in excitation processes in the neurons of the cortex and brain stem regions and an improvement in the reflex activity of animals were noted. Depending on the studied doses of ginseng, a different effect of its preparations on inhibitory processes is observed: in small doses, ginseng enhances the processes of excitation and weakens inhibitory processes, while in large doses, on the contrary, it enhances the processes of inhibition.

On laboratory animals, it has been established that ginseng preparations increase efficiency and reduce fatigue during high physical and stressful loads.

The nature of the action of ginseng preparations on the cardiovascular system is not clearly defined. In small doses, ginseng slightly increases the level of blood pressure, and in large doses it reduces it in various animal species. Under the influence of the drug, there is an increase in the amplitude of heart contractions and a decrease in the heart rate.

Ginseng preparations in the experiment stimulate the synthesis of nuclear RNA and liver RNA polymerase, increase the synthesis of DNA, protein, RNA and lipids in bone marrow cells, increase the level of cAMP in the adrenal glands and the content of oxycorticosteroids in blood plasma. In addition, they increase the content of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain stem, increase the activity of the main adenylate cyclase and reduce the amount of serotonin in the cerebral cortex, have a pronounced anti-stress property, increase resistance to hypo- and hypertension, have an anti-inflammatory effect, accelerate wound healing processes and protect from the toxic effects of certain chemical agents.

Ginseng root preparations act on various functions of the human body and increase its resistance to many diseases, excite the central nervous system, increase metabolism in the body and increase its tone. Ginseng relieves the feeling of fatigue, restores strength and efficiency after hard physical and mental work and severe, debilitating illnesses.

The action of ginseng is explained by the exciting effect on the cerebral cortex and subcortical centers. The drugs increase appetite, stimulate the endocrine system, improve the activity of the gonads, slow down the heart rate, increase the amplitude of heart contractions, regulate blood pressure, stimulate tissue respiration, increase the intensity of gas exchange, accelerate wound healing, and increase resistance to radiation exposure.

The use of ginseng in medicine

Ginseng is used for a variety of diseases: atherosclerosis, heart defects, early stages of tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, impotence, anemia, low blood pressure (hypotension), some nervous and mental diseases of a functional nature (neurosis, neurasthenia, psychasthenia, etc.) , bleeding, rheumatism, and especially in various long, debilitating diseases, accompanied by severe exhaustion and loss of strength.

Ginseng can be used even by healthy elderly people as a general stimulant and tonic. Plant preparations are not toxic. Ginseng is used as an alcoholic root tincture, root powder, and liquid root extract.

It must be remembered that long-term use of ginseng and its use in large doses cause negative effects: insomnia, palpitations, headaches and heart pain, decreased sexual potency, etc.

Ginseng is effective in asthenic and astheno-depressive conditions of various etiologies, in mental and hysterical reactions accompanied by stupor, as well as in various neuroses, insomnia and impotence. In patients with the appointment of ginseng tincture, the general condition noticeably improves, complaints of lethargy and fatigue, headache disappear, appetite improves, and the general tone increases. In addition, the functional activity of the cardiovascular system improves.

The use of ginseng is effective during the period of convalescence after serious illnesses, complex surgical interventions, protracted complications of various etiologies, as well as with prolonged physical and mental overwork. Increasing the resistance of the patient's basic physiological systems to harmful effects, ginseng preparations significantly enhance the adaptive ability of the body.

Ginseng also has a positive effect on the mental and physical performance of a healthy person. With a long-term course of taking the drug, its general strengthening effect has been established.

Reports have been published on the positive effect of ginseng in myocardial dystrophy, with low and high blood pressure as a means of regulating the level of pressure, in the treatment of gastritis, as an immunostimulant in viral hepatitis during convalescence and as a sugar-lowering agent in diabetes, sexual disorders and atherosclerosis.

Ginseng facilitates the course of the postoperative period in surgical patients (for example, the appointment of ginseng extract in preparing patients for severe surgical interventions avoids a number of complications). A number of authors noted in patients taking ginseng, an improvement in the general condition, appetite, anthropometric parameters and an increase in working capacity.

In eastern countries, preparations from the plant are recommended to prolong life and youth. There, all kinds of preparations in the form of decoctions, infusions, powders, pills, ointments are widely used in case of low blood pressure (hypotension), fatigue, overwork, neurasthenia, impotence of various origins. In ancient China, there was such a saying: "The king of forest animals is a tiger, the king of sea animals is a dragon, and the king of forest plants is ginseng."

In the order of the Chinese emperor from the 18th century, the plant was said: “Ginseng helps with any weakness, in case of extreme bodily or mental fatigue or fatigue; destroys and removes sputum and its accumulations; stops vomiting and helps digestion; strengthens the mood of the spirit; increases blood lymph, helps well against sudden dizziness in the heat; corrects impaired vision and continues and maintains life in old age. Ginseng has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over three thousand years. There were legends about the healing properties of the root. Ginseng roots were credited with properties not only to heal diseases, but also to instill life in a dying person. It was also believed that the bittersweet root of life could restore youth to a person.

Ginseng has a clearly expressed seasonality of action. Taking it in autumn and winter is most effective. At other times of the year it is necessary to take it in smaller doses.

The use of ginseng in recommended doses is usually not accompanied by side effects, but sometimes taking drugs can cause some discomfort, nausea and vomiting, increased blood pressure, and headache. Stopping the drug or reducing its dose leads to the disappearance of side effects.

The phenomena of intoxication were observed in people after ingestion of 200 ml of tincture or the use of a whole root of medium size. Ginseng poisoning is characterized by a rash on the body, dizziness, headache, and fever.

Contraindications to the use of ginseng have not been identified, however, it is not recommended to prescribe it for acute infectious diseases and other acute pathologies.

The use of ginseng in nutrition

The peoples of the Far East, Korea, China use some dishes with fresh ginseng root puree and usually give it to travelers, hunters, fishermen, warriors, and also add it to seriously ill and convalescent people. Such additives are useful for pilots, astronauts and those exposed to radiation.

Ginseng root puree

The fresh root is thoroughly washed, cut into pieces, ground into gruel, which is given in 1/3 teaspoon or mixed with natural juices, jellies, jelly.

Eat slowly over 10 minutes.

Dosage forms of ginseng, method of administration and doses

Ginseng tincture (Tinctura Ginsengi) administered orally (before meals) 15-25 drops 3 times a day.

Powders or pills coated, take 0.15-0.3 g 3 times a day.

Store in a cool, dark place.

Araliaceae family - Araliaceae

Ginseng is perhaps the most famous representative of not only the Araliaceae family, but also the medicinal flora in general.

True ginseng is a perennial herbaceous plant that lives up to 100 years, with a rhizome (neck) and a taproot fleshy root (body). The root has 2-6 branches at the end. In the upper part, circular wrinkles are observed, the number of which increases with age. An overwintering bud develops at the top of the rhizome, and the future above-ground shoot is laid in it. The stem is solitary, with an apical rosette of 5 leaves. The leaves are long-petiolate, palmately compound to the base, palmate-five dissected. Stem and leaf petioles with a purple-reddish tint. The flower-bearing stem is thin, emerging from the apical rosette. The flowers are small, greenish, collected in an apical umbrella at the end of the peduncle. The fruit is a bright red two-celled (occasionally three-celled) berry-like drupe.

Blossoms in July, fruits ripen in August-September.

Reproduction is exclusively by seed; birds play an important role in the distribution of the species. Seeds germinate in 21 months (on the second spring after ripening). The processes of growth and development of the plant at all subsequent stages also proceed slowly. Leaves characteristic of adult plants are formed after several decades. For the first time, ginseng blooms no earlier than 8-10 years after seed germination, the average annual root growth does not exceed 1-1.5 g.

Spreading

Endemic, relic of the Manchurian tertiary flora. In Russia, at present, it is probably found in the wild only in the Primorsky Territory. The range of real ginseng is close to the range of other representatives of the Araliaceae family, but is declining (at the beginning of the 20th century, ginseng was found near Khabarovsk in the spurs of Khekhtsir). Outside of Russia, it was authentically preserved only in northeastern China. Rare plant, needs strict protection.

Widely cultivated in China, Korea, Japan.

The genus Panax includes at least seven species in addition to this ginseng, of which five are confined to East and Southeast Asia, and two grow in North America. All these species exhibit a stimulating and adaptogenic effect and have long been used in folk medicine of the respective regions as a general tonic and tonic both in the treatment of various diseases and for preventive purposes. Systematically, this ginseng is very close to the five-leaf ginseng (American ginseng) - P. quinquefolius L., which grows in the northeast of the United States and southeast of Canada. In Indochina, false ginseng is common - P. pseudoginseng Wall. Despite the name, this plant is valued in second place after real ginseng in terms of medicinal properties and is included in many collections of oriental medicine.

habitat

Forest shade-loving plant. It is confined to mountain coniferous-deciduous forests at altitudes from 150 to 700 meters above sea level. Prefers well-drained brown mountain-forest soils, does not like waterlogging.

Occurs in separate specimens or "families" of different ages, separated for many kilometers.

Chemical composition

The pharmacological properties of ginseng root are primarily associated with triterpene saponins - panaxosides A, B, C, D, E, F. These are glycosides of tetracyclic triterpenes of the dammarane series, which are absent in the rest of the araliaceae. In panaxosides A, B, C, the aglycone is panaxatriol, and in panaxosides D, E, F, panaxadiol.

In addition, panacen essential oil, a mixture of fatty acids, alkaloids, sesquiterpenoids, other triterpenoids in addition to panaxosides (ginsenosides, panaxodiol, panaxotriol), carbohydrates and related compounds, phytosterols, choline, fatty oil, mucus, starch, pectin, tannins were found in the roots. substances, resins, ascorbic acid, vitamins B1, B2, B12, biotin, nicotinic, folic, pantothenic acids, polyacetylene compounds. The content of phosphorus, sulfur, trace elements is significant. Root ash is more than half phosphate.

Ginseng leaves, as well as the root, contain triterpene glycosides - ginsenosides and flavonoids. The content of the total glycoside fraction in the leaves is higher than in the roots.

Contrary to popular belief, the chemical composition and medicinal properties of cultivated and wild ginseng are almost identical. Only the content of active substances differs, but not much.

pharmachologic effect

Reliable knowledge about the healing properties of ginseng is fused into a centuries-old layer of legends. It is believed that in China ginseng was used for medicinal purposes as early as 3,000 years ago. Reliable references to the use of ginseng are contained in medical treatises starting from the 4th century BC. BC e. The very name "ginseng" in literal translation means "man-root"; based on the principle of similarity, the root was valued the higher, the more it looked like a human figure. Eastern healers considered ginseng a panacea (the literal meaning of this Greek term is a remedy for everything, the generic name Panax comes from the same word and means "all-healing").

Ginseng has a stimulating, general tonic and strengthening effect. It is considered a means of promoting longevity, especially useful in old age with general weakness, fatigue, exhaustion, impotence, depression, hypochondria.

Ginseng preparations have a wide range of therapeutic effects, are non-toxic, and can be used for a long time. Ginseng root is a strong causative agent of the central nervous system, however, it does not cause addiction and drug dependence, does not disturb sleep, and increases efficiency during night wakefulness.

Preparations from ginseng root stimulate the dynamics of nervous processes, have a beneficial effect on the blood picture, increase gas exchange, stimulate tissue respiration (especially of the brain), accelerate carbohydrate and fat metabolism, increase hormonal levels, increase the amplitude and reduce the frequency of heart contractions, promote the fastest healing of wounds and ulcers . Ginseng tincture, taken orally, increases the secretion of bile, increases the photosensitivity of the eyes in the process of dark adaptation. When taken prophylactically, ginseng increases resistance to extreme environmental conditions, toxins, pathogens, and other stressors.

Dosage forms

Water-alcohol tincture.

Ginseng root is included in the GF XI as a medicinal raw material.

Application

Ginseng preparations are used for physical and mental fatigue, after prolonged serious illness, for functional disorders of the cardiovascular system, diabetes, dysfunction of the gonads, functional nervous and mental diseases, for chronic gastritis with reduced secretory function of the stomach.

Chinese doctors recommend regularly taking ginseng root preparations to a healthy person in order to strengthen vitality and prolong life, but give preference to malnourished patients, with weakness, overwork, headaches, insomnia, night sweats, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, diabetes mellitus, anemia, impotence , functional disorders of cardiac activity.

In Korea, ginseng leaves are used for medicinal purposes to heal wounds and ulcers.

Wild and cultivated ginseng roots are used fresh and canned in sugar.

Ginseng exhibits a distinct seasonal effect: its intake is most effective in autumn and winter. In spring and summer, the effect may be the opposite of what is expected. Oriental medicine prescribes the intake of ginseng in combination with physical labor in the fresh air.

Ginseng preparations are contraindicated in hypertension and in the acute period of infectious diseases.

Prolonged use of ginseng and its use in large doses causes negative effects: palpitations, headaches, pain in the heart, dizziness.

Self-treatment with ginseng without solid knowledge of the dosage is unacceptable: cases of fatal poisoning are known.

Procurement of raw materials

Wild ginseng is harvested at a time when it is easier to detect among other plants. Dig up the ginseng root with bone spatulas, trying not to cut off the lobes and not damage the root. The extracted roots are carefully cleaned of dirt and husks, trying not to scratch the skin. Rotten places are cleaned of rot and rubbed with earth. Root washing is not allowed. The collected and peeled roots are dried or stored fresh in wooden boxes lined with moss of medium humidity from the inside. The roots are placed in a box in layers, sprinkled with sifted earth taken from the place of harvesting. At harvesting stations, the root is sorted by size, shape, degree of damage during digging.

Due to the extremely limited supply of wild ginseng, the vast majority of the root on the world market is of cultural origin. The root is collected on plantations from plants aged 5-8 years.

The dried root is stored in warehouses packaged in cellophane bags, stacked in tightly knocked together wooden boxes lined with paper. When unpacking the boxes, the roots are transferred to glass jars with a lid.

Shelf life 2 years 6 months.

Security measures

Collection of young roots of wild ginseng weighing less than 10 g is not allowed. Only those plants that bear fruit in a given year should be dug up. In no case should young plants be dug up, as they are of no medicinal value. Ginseng fruits are harvested and buried in the soil to a depth of 4-5 cm.

Ginseng is included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. The limiting factors for the restoration of the ginseng population, in addition to excessive harvesting, are low seed productivity, slow development of seedlings, forest fires, and disturbance of the forest floor. To restore the population of wild ginseng, it is necessary to introduce a long-term ban on its harvesting in a number of areas and reintroduce it.

Resources

Wild ginseng root has always been a rare raw material. In Primorye, planned harvesting in the middle of the 20th century did not exceed 200 kg of root (wet weight) per season. In China, in the 1930s, the volume of wild root harvests was about 500 kg per season, but already in 1950, the seasonal harvest fell to 150 kg. At present, harvesting of wild ginseng root in China is practically not carried out.

The cultivation of ginseng began in Korea as early as the 1st century BC. BC e., a little later it began to be cultivated in China. Russian settlers began to cultivate ginseng from the beginning of the settlement of Primorsky Krai. The industrial cultivation of ginseng in Primorye was started by M. I. Yankovsky, a pioneer in the development of the region. Unfortunately, after the revolution, this work had to be started anew. One of the well-known domestic farms is the coastal specialized state farm "Ginseng" founded in 1961 (the village of Starovarvarovka, Anuchinsky district). Ginseng was also successfully grown in other regions - in southern Siberia and in the European part of Russia.

In addition to the cultivated P. ginseng of Chinese origin, American P. quinquefolius accounts for a significant and growing share of the world market for ginseng. American growers have long abandoned traditional wooden sheds and are growing ginseng under a polymer mesh canopy using modern farming techniques.

Only through Hong Kong - the world's leading market for ginseng - in the early 90s of the last century, more than 3 thousand tons of root passed annually. Against this background, Russia's contribution to the world ginseng market is negligible and is steadily declining: if in 1987 about 3.5 tons of root were harvested in Russia, then in 1993 they did not produce even half of this amount.

True ginseng (Panax ginseng S.A. Meu), man-root, gift of the gods, root of life, stosil, Panax ginseng is a perennial herb of the Araliaceae family, up to 80 cm high, rarely higher. Underground organs - rhizome and thickened main root. The root is taproot, oblong-cylindrical, usually with 2-6 thickened lateral branches (processes) and with thin skeletal roots (lobes), has a total length of up to 60 cm; the thickness of the main root is up to 5 cm. On the main and lateral roots, numerous very fragile seasonal suction roots develop in spring and die off by autumn, after the death of which characteristic nodule-like tubercles remain on the roots. The root is fleshy (contains up to 75% water), fragrant, grayish-yellow on the cut.
The rhizome of wild plants is usually thin, up to 10 cm long or more, with clearly defined, spirally arranged scars, which are formed annually when the above-ground shoots die off. The annual growth of the root averages 1 g or a little more. The above-ground shoot is usually single, much less often there are multi-stemmed plants - with 2 (sometimes up to 6-7) shoots.
The stem is straight, thin, cylindrical, green or brown-red, glabrous, hollow inside. Leaves in young plants 1-2, in adults 4-5 (rarely up to 7); they are long-petiolate, usually five-fingered-complex, up to 40 cm long, located in a rosette at the top of the stem. Leaf petioles with a purple-red tint. In mature plants, a peduncle up to 25 cm high with one simple umbrella develops from the center of the leaf rosette; below it there are often smaller lateral umbrellas.
The flowers are small, inconspicuous, with a white corolla.
The fruit is a bright red, lower, usually two-seed, often one-seed, rarely three-seed drupe. The seed productivity of ginseng is quite high. An adult plant on average produces 30-50 fruits (individual plants - up to 150-200 fruits). The seeds are rather large, oval-flattened, wrinkled, yellowish-white in color. Weight of 1000 fruits - 35-45 g.
Blossoms in May-June, fruits ripen in August. Propagated only by seeds. Seeds germinate only 18-22 months after autumn sowing (part of the seeds only in the 3rd or 4th year), which is associated with the underdevelopment of the embryo in them. Lives up to 150 years.
The first written mention of this plant is noted in the ancient Chinese work on medicinal properties "Shennong-bencao" dating back to the 1st century BC, although it has been used in oriental folk medicine for at least 4-5 thousand years. And there was no more legendary plant in the history of all medicine. He was credited with the property not only to heal all diseases, but also to instill life in a dying person. The people called it the "root of life", "miracle of the world", "strike of immortality" and other equally loud names. The extraordinary glory of the plant gave rise to a real "ginseng fever" and became the cause of many tragedies and crimes. In 1709, Emperor Kan-Hi introduced an absolute monopoly on ginseng harvesting. Searches, extraction of a medicinal root were strictly scheduled. Pickers who received special permission went to the taiga under guard. Only at the edge of the forest was each determined the place of search and the place of exit from the taiga. For a strictly designated search time, the necessary supply of food was issued. The forests of China, where ginseng had been harvested for thousands of years, were depleted, so from the middle of the 19th century, the Ussuri region became the most productive place for extracting the root.
Natural ginseng roots weighing 100-200 g are a rarity. In 1981, an unusually large ginseng root was found in China. Its weight was 500 g, and the length of the process was 65 cm. This root had many branches and pearl growths, which make it especially valuable. An even rarer specimen was found in 1905 in Manchuria during the construction of a railway. The plant was 200 years old and its root weighed 600 g. The root was sold in Shanghai for $5,000, which was only half of its true value.
For the first time, ginseng came to Russia (it was brought by the Russian envoy to the court of the Chinese emperor, boyar N. G. Sapphiriy) in 1675 from China.
The root contains triterpene saponins (panaxosides A, B, C, L, E), linoleic, oleic, stearic, palmitic acids, essential oil (panaxen), which includes sesquiter-penes; phytosterols, ascorbic acid, vitamins B1 and B2, mucus, starch (up to 20%), tannins, pectin substances (up to 23%), resins, cane sugar, physiologically active substances (panaxin, panaquilon, ginsenin glycoside).
The roots contain: macronutrients (mg / g): K - 21.40, Ca - 7.06, Mq - 1.74, Fe - 0.25; trace elements (mcg/g): Mn - 14.30, Cu - 6.30, Zn - 23.40, Mo - 0.32, Cr - 2.87, Al - 40.96, Se - 0.05, Ni - 0.48, Sr - 4.46, Pb - 2.95, B - 37.40, I - 0.09, Ag - 0.32. He found Co, Ba, V, Cd, Li, Au, Br. Concentrates Ag.
Wild ginseng grows in the south of the Khabarovsk Territory, in the Primorsky Territory, as well as in Korea, China, and Manchuria. It grows mainly in cedar-deciduous forests, sometimes with an admixture of fir and spruce, less often in oak or hornbeam forests with an admixture of aspen, maple, ash and linden. Prefers loose, humus-rich, moderately moist soils. Does not tolerate direct sunlight and therefore never found in open places.

Collection and drying of raw materials. For medicinal purposes, ginseng roots are used (of particular interest is the root, which in appearance resembles a human figure) (Radix Ginseng). When harvesting the roots (in September), the above-ground shoots are first cut off, then the roots are carefully dug up with garden pitchforks and shaken off the ground; in the process of subsequent sorting (into healthy, diseased, damaged and underdeveloped), the roots are thoroughly cleaned of soil. Commercial maturity of the roots of wild plants occurs after 25-30 years of ginseng life. In culture, the roots are dug up at the age of 5-8. The average weight of 6-7-year-old ginseng roots is 40-60 g. The plant is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, therefore, wild-growing ginseng is harvested only under licenses. The dug out roots are kept over the steam of water heated to 80 ° C for an hour and dried in the shade for at least one to two months, until they become completely
hard, light brown. These roots are called red. They can be stored for many years. The smell of raw materials is weak, specific, the taste is bittersweet.

pharmacological properties. Of the herbal adaptogens and tonics that help remove radioactive decay products and strengthen the human immune system, ginseng plays a special role. Ginseng preparations increase efficiency, normalize blood pressure, promote recovery after serious illnesses and operations. They are able to treat people from chemical poisoning and many functional diseases of the entire body system (Malyshev, 1986,1991; Grushvitsky, 1987; Bergner, 1997).
The plant has not only a tonic, but also an analgesic effect, stimulates the cerebral cortex, subcortical centers, tissue respiration, oxidative processes, increases efficiency, relieves fatigue, has adaptogenic and immunostimulating properties, promotes bile secretion, increases the amplitude of heart contractions, gas exchange in the lungs, regulates carbohydrate metabolism, helps to reduce blood sugar (the action of ginsenin glycoside), increases the function of the endocrine system, and normalizes blood pressure.

Application in medical practice. Roots. Tincture - with reduced performance, physical and mental fatigue, overwork, neurosis, neurasthenia, insomnia, migraine, functional disorders of the cardiovascular system, diseases of the liver, kidneys, digestive tract, lungs, rheumatism, diabetes, impotence, exhaustion, after severe infectious diseases. Ginseng, specifically acting through the entire body, increases its immunity and overall resistance. The presence of a general strengthening effect of ginseng makes it a very valuable remedy for people who have suffered long-term serious illnesses and in the postoperative period. The ability of ginseng to increase hemoglobin in the blood of practically healthy people and accelerate the recovery of patients who had leukemia was noted. Depending on the dose used, it can excite or calm the cerebral cortex. It regulates the metabolism of nucleic acids and protein metabolism, promotes tissue renewal, and prevents excessive deposition of fat in the liver. Ginseng is not only a stimulant, but also a tonic for the body. It is primarily an adaptogen, i.e. a remedy that improves his defenses.
In patients taking ginseng preparations, the general condition noticeably improves, complaints of lethargy, fatigue, headache disappear, appetite improves, general tone increases, and the functional activity of the cardiovascular system improves.
When using preparations from natural ginseng in cancer patients, tumor growth is inhibited, and in some cases it prevents the recurrence of the disease. Ginseng increases the physical performance of a person, treats sexual impotence, has a wound-healing effect, and lowers blood sugar.
Ginseng maintains youth and prolongs life in old age.

Dosage forms, method of administration and doses. Ginseng tincture (Tinctura Ginsenqi) is a clear yellow liquid prepared in 30-40% ethyl alcohol (1:10). Take 15-25 drops 3 times a day 20-30 minutes before meals.
Powder (or tablets) is taken according to 0,15-0,30 g 3 times a day before meals.
Take tincture and powder courses for 30-40 days, after which they take a break.

Preparation of alcohol tincture. Taken 50 gr. raw or 15 gr. dry ginseng root per 500 gr. alcohol liquid, a fortress of 40 hail. The root is crushed, the smaller the better. Infuse the tincture at room temperature, in a dark place for at least two weeks. Dose: 5-25 drops 2-3 times a day 20 minutes before meals. For children, the dose must be agreed with the doctor. The course of treatment is 90 days. Every 30 days of taking the tincture, take a 10-day break.
Ginseng root is suitable for medical purposes at 6-7 years of age from the time of germination, the weight of which can vary from 30 to 100 grams on average. The course of treatment is recommended up to 100 gr. raw root at least 50 gr. or 15 gr. dry.
Store ginseng tincture in a dark place. "Root of Life" has a very low toxicity, but not limitless. They say that everything is useful in moderation. The same should be said about ginseng. There are cases of fatal poisoning from a single dose of 150-200 gr. root tinctures.
NOTE: after using all the liquid in the remaining mass of ginseng, pour half the volume of the first time with alcohol liquid kr. 30 deg. and insist a second time for at least two weeks. Take the dose of the secondary tincture in the same way as the first one, only shake it before taking it so that the ginseng particles in an equal proportion fall into the dose. In this case, the root of life will be fully used.
You can start treatment with ginseng only after consulting a doctor.
Ginseng has a clearly expressed seasonality of action. Taking it in autumn and winter is most effective. At other times, you need to take it in smaller doses. The dead zone is considered the period from mid-March to mid-May. During treatment, the use of alcoholic beverages and smoking is contraindicated.

Preparation of ginseng honey. Ginseng honey is prepared as follows: 30 gr. dry ginseng root is ground in a coffee grinder into powder. Then they take 1000 ml of honey, heat it in a water bath to 400 C, pour ginseng powder into it and mix thoroughly. A mixture of honey and ginseng root powder is poured into a glass container.
Insist at room temperature in a dark place for at least two weeks. Ginseng honey crystallizes quickly and has a delicate aroma. Take it 3 times a day, one teaspoon 15-20 minutes before meals. For children, the dose must be agreed with the doctor. The course of treatment is the same as for alcohol tincture.
Store ginseng honey in the refrigerator at a temperature of +3 +5 0 С.

Ginseng honey contraindications: irritability, insomnia, hypertension, heart failure, atherosclerosis, pregnancy, breastfeeding, preschool children.

Contraindications and possible side effects: it is not recommended to take ginseng preparations for hypertension, especially during the summer heat, acute infectious diseases and other acutely current pathologies. For many patients, the use of ginseng is contraindicated in spring and summer. When treating with ginseng, it is necessary to completely exclude the use of alcoholic beverages.
The use of ginseng in recommended doses is usually not accompanied by side effects, however, taking drugs can cause some discomfort, nausea and vomiting, increased blood pressure, and headache. Stopping the drug or reducing its dose leads to the disappearance of side effects.
The phenomena of intoxication were observed in people after taking 200 ml of tincture or eating a whole root of medium size. Ginseng poisoning is characterized by a rash on the body, dizziness, headache, and fever.

Agrotechnical methods of cultivation. In culture, ginseng develops faster than in nature, and forms a more powerful root. The time of cultivation of commercial roots is usually 6-7 years. The plot, soil and fertilizers for ginseng are prepared in advance (1.5-2 years before planting seedlings).
Select virgin (forest), fallow or tinned areas with well-drained sandy or loamy fertile soil. The plant does not tolerate stagnant water, but is sensitive to drought, so the soil should be kept moist. For the development of ginseng, slightly acidic (pH 5.2-6.5) soils with a high content of humus (6-10%) are most favorable. The basis of the soil should be manure and leaf humus, peat chips, forest land, rotted sawdust, coal slag, coarse sand and other components. Ginseng is shade tolerant. It does not tolerate open sunny places, so it is grown under artificial shading or under the canopy of a tree.
In a limited liability company specialized agricultural enterprise (LLC "SSHP" Ginseng ") Unechsky district of the Bryansk region, special attention is paid to preparing the soil for laying ginseng plantations. It should be close to the taiga. The humus content is brought to 6-8%, and the pH of the salt extract is up to 5.7-6.8. In essence, it is required to prepare artificial soil for the ridges, or we call them soils. The basis of the soil (about 80%) is arable land and biohumus. It is possible to use manure biohumus and leaf humus only 4-5 years ago, lake silt, small dry wood dust, ash, soot, crushed eggshells, rotten wood stump dust, forest land where hardwoods grow.
As a rule, each ginseng grower prepares the soil according to his own recipe, using the above components. When the soil is ready, it should be a well-mixed homogeneous mass. As a result, a ridge is prepared 35-40 cm high, 100-120 cm wide, of arbitrary length, oriented from east to west. It must be prepared 2-3 months before sowing or planting.
One of the characteristics of ginseng plants is that they do not tolerate direct sunlight at all. They need diffused sunlight. Under natural conditions in the Far East, ginseng is most often found in mountain cedar and mixed forests, on shaded slopes, in deep gorges. In China, Korea, Japan and the Russian Far East, ginseng can be grown in open areas with shade shields. In Korea, solid (almost without openings) shields made of boards or rice straw are usually placed above the plants. The main role here is played by side lighting. Depending on the age of the ginseng and even the time of day, the shading shields are rearranged higher or lower. Solid shields significantly reduce the temperature of the soil (by 3-5°C) and air (by 2-8°C) compared to an open area. Illumination under solid shields, depending on weather conditions (cloudiness), ranges from 3 to 10% of full daylight. Under shields with gaps in the fourth part, the illumination was 25-50%, with gaps in half of the shield area, it reached 50-60%. The mass of roots under illumination of 45-60% is higher than under solid shields by 16-35% Malyshev, 1991]. In areas with illumination of 30-40%, ginseng begins to bloom seven to nine days earlier than in areas with illumination of 10-18% [Gutnikova, 1960]. The usual height of installation of shields in Asia is up to 1.0-1.5 m, in the USA and Canada for the purpose of mechanization of work - up to 3 m. In the last two countries, three methods of cultivation of American ginseng are used: on ridges with artificial shading, on ridges under a canopy forests and scattered in the forest (Malyshev, 1967, 1991).
Ginseng plants are grown under structures with a height (along the ridge) of 2.5 m, on the sides of 1.8 m in LLC “SSHP “Ginseng” of the Unechi district. The width of such a canopy can be 100 m, and the length is from 50 to 100 m. supports are strengthened by sleg-beams (wooden or metal); wooden boards or shields are laid on the beams. The location of the tesa or shields allows you to create a uniform alternation of sunlight and falling shadows on ginseng leaves. The building is oriented from east to west.
Fans of the Far Eastern Primorye, Elizarov, Sorokin, and others, as well as a number of female breeders in Belarus and other regions of the Russian Federation, make shading structures from rails with gaps of 2-3 cm, installed in the form of canopies at a height of at least 1.8 m. T T. Timchenko ( Dalne-gorek) recommended a truss-shed shading system at a height of 2.2 m, along the edges - 1.7 m. Tension boards 1.8 m long with gaps of 3-4 cm are laid on the rafters at an angle of 40 °. The boards do not knock down (for structural rigidity, only one board is fixed every 3 m), and they are shifted or moved apart to the desired clearance width, depending on the phases of ginseng development and weather conditions. Rainwater rolls into trays arranged on sheds. The shed is usually located from east to west, its roof is gable. For the arrangement of ridges under the shed, boxes without a bottom are installed. In winter, for the penetration of snow onto the ridges, covered with sawdust or peat-crushed peat since autumn, the covering boards are stacked on the lid, two or one on top of the other. Belarusian amateurs A. K. Shestakov, V. A. Borisevich install shading shields with a width of slats of 10-12 cm and gaps of 2-3 cm at a height: from the south 80-90, from the north 120-130 cm. shading devices with gaps of 2-3 cm at a height of 120-150 cm.
Exposure to sunlight on plants in the morning (before 10-11 am) or in the afternoon (after 4-5 pm) does not harm ginseng. It is even desirable that during the two hours in the morning the ginseng be illuminated with direct rays.
Japanese researchers believe that the optimal illumination for ginseng should be 3000-4000 lux, but 6000 lux is acceptable [Hong Sun Geun, 1974]. According to A.A. Malyshev (1986), in the mountainous regions of the Caucasus, it can be higher than 6000-7000 lux, and in open areas with the use of shading (batten shield and reinforced film) it can reach 10,000 lux on a clear day. But this is already the upper limit of ginseng illumination. On a cloudy day, it can drop to 1000 lux here, which should be considered the lower limit.
In LLC "SSHP" Ginseng "Unechsky district, two designs of shading shelters are used for growing seedlings. The first design consists of shields with gaps between the planks of 1.5-2 cm, and for a commercial root - 2.5-3 cm. Shields 170 cm long and 100 cm wide are prepared for a meter-wide ridge. The shield consists of a frame on which they are stuffed light boards 8-10 cm wide. The paths between the ridges should be at least 60 cm. The second structure is higher, where workers can freely pass while caring for ginseng. The height of the shading shelters can be different, but they need to be done so that you can work freely on the beds.
The process of adaptation of ginseng to new geographical conditions is relatively good, although all the processes of development and growth of ginseng are very slow. It takes about two years for the full development of the embryo in the seed under natural conditions. The formation of an overwintering bud on a plant takes the same time. By the time of seed germination, the embryo is divided into root, cotyledons, leaf and kidney. However, further, with the appearance of the aerial part of the plant, its development is very slow. In the first year, only one tripartite leaf is formed (rarely two), the stalk of which acts as a stem. The following year, the plant forms one five-part leaf (less often two). In the future, with age, the formation of leaves occurs very slowly. A full set of leaves (usually five) is not reached before the fifth year.
In a natural forest setting, after the fruits fall off in autumn, the seeds remain with an underdeveloped embryo all winter until next summer. In the case of favorable conditions, the awakening and growth of the embryo begins. During the following winter, the necessary cold stratification takes place. A prerequisite for this is the penetration of seeds (during self-sowing) into the soil and the appropriate temperature and soil moisture. Under unfavorable conditions, seed germination is delayed up to three to five years or more. During this period, they can die from decay or can be eaten by mouse-like rodents.
Most amateurs resort to natural stratification. Cleaned, washed and mixed with coarse sand, the seeds are placed in a nylon stocking or box, which is buried in the soil to a depth of 20-30 cm, surrounded by a metal mesh to protect against mouse-like rodents. In autumn and summer, the seeds are periodically (once every two months) viewed to avoid drying out and rotting. In this state they are the first winter and the following summer. The next fall or early spring (after two winters) the seeds can be sown in beds. With such pre-sowing preparation, seed germination reaches 85-90%.
Seed stratification should be carried out to accelerate the development of the seed embryo and further growth of ginseng plants. The collected fruits are rubbed with hands to remove the pulp. After that, they are poured with water and washed many times, thoroughly cleaning the seeds from fibers. The peeled seeds are kept in water (in an enamel bowl) from several hours (at the Ginseng state farm) to several days (in Korean practice, from 2 to 8 days).
After cleaning the seeds from fibers, they are thrown back onto sieves so that water is glassed, and dried in the shade to a free-flowing state. Further, with the aim of accelerated germination, they begin to stratify them. Light ginseng seeds that floated up during washing are removed. If they still represent a certain value, they are stratified separately.
For stratification, the seeds are mixed with calcined sand sifted on a sieve (no more than 3 mm) sand in a ratio of 1: 3 or 1: 4, pickled with potassium permanganate (0.2%) for 15-30 minutes or 0.1% of a suspension of foundationol in for four to six hours, then aired and placed in plastic basins or nylon bags. Sand should consist of half of large particles (1.0-0.5 mm) and half of gravel (3-1 mm). Admixture of fine sand (0.5-0.25 mm) up to 10% is acceptable. The former Far Eastern AIA of the All-Union Institute of Medicinal Plants in its agrotechnical rules recommended laying ginseng seeds in coarser sand, with particles of 2-4 mm, in other words, in gravel mixed with fine cartilage.
The sand is thoroughly washed before use, sifted through an appropriate sieve (to remove fine sand), then the burial is calcined on iron sheets for two to three hours until the organic matter is completely burned.
The process of accelerated stratification of ginseng seeds, developed by I.V. Grushvitsky in 1960 (based on the Korean experience), consists of two stages: warm (at 18-20 °C) for four months and cold (at 2-4 °C) for the same period.
In order to create uniform conditions for stratification, it is recommended to periodically (depending on the thickness of the layer - in one or two days) stir up the sand so that the upper and lower layers change places. To avoid drying out, the sand is covered from above with a three-layer gauze, daily moistened with water. According to the recommendations of the former Far Eastern AIA VILR, mixing of sand is not carried out, but every two weeks the seeds are separated on sieves from the sand and aired, and the sand is disinfected by boiling in water for 20 minutes. In order to disinfect, the boxes are also scalded with boiling water and dried. After three to four hours, the seeds are again mixed with sand and placed in boxes.
There is also a method of stepwise stratification, due to which the germination of seeds is more amicable. To do this, after a three-month stratification at 18-20 ° C, the seeds are placed for one month in conditions with a temperature of 9-10 ° C, then they are kept at a temperature of 1-3 ° C for about three months. The last month - at 9-10 °C. By the end of the period of warm stratification (with any method), the embryo in the seeds usually increases in length by 15-18 times more. Partial or even complete opening of the bone is observed (Bogdanova, 1971).
According to the recommendation of the former Far Eastern AIA VILR, during the first five months, ginseng seeds are stratified at a temperature of 18-20 °C, after which they are stratified at 2-4 °C for three months. At the warm stage of stratification, the seeds are moistened every other day and aired once a month.
T. T. Timchenko in Primorsky Krai lengthened the period of warm stratification up to five months, but in a stepwise manner. Well-pulped seeds are mixed with calcined and washed coarse sand, watered abundantly and laid in layers 20-30 cm thick between pebbles. The room should have high humidity (at least 70%). Every 20 days, the seeds are aired, and the container is disinfected by boiling. The first three months, the seeds are kept at a temperature of 18-20 C: one month - 16 ° and another month (half a month is acceptable) -13 °. Then 2-2.5 months at a temperature of 0 to +2 °C. At the same time, seed germination reaches, according to Timchenko, 98%. If, by the end of stratification, the embryo fills U3 of the endosperm, the seed should germinate.
The course of germination of embryos in seeds can be controlled. To do this, the seed taken for testing with a safety razor blade is cut into two equal halves along the line of divergent valves. The measurement of the length of the embryo is best done with a magnifying glass or an eyepiece-micrometer at low microscope magnifications. Of course, it is necessary to take a certain number of seeds in order to establish the percentage of those that are at one stage or another of readiness for sowing.
The initial length of the embryo is 0.3 mm; a fully developed embryo is 4-4.5 mm long. If the embryo has reached a length of 1.2-2.0 mm (with 10-30% of opened seeds), the seeds require pre-sowing preparation for one to two months of warm stratification and three to four months of cold. If the embryo has a length of 2-3 mm with the same percentage of opened seeds, it is enough to give the seeds 0.5-1 month of warm stratification and the usual cold one. With an embryo length of 3-3.5 mm (30-50% of opened pits), they only need cold stratification for 2-4 months [Grushvitsky, 1961].
It should also be noted that during the development of the embryo inside the seed, the activity of the enzymatic system is rather weak, but in the seeds that have hatched, it increases sharply. In this case, the nutrients of the endosperm are very intensively used by the emerging seedling.
At the second, cold stage, the growth of the embryo intensifies and its physiological maturation occurs. Until it is finished, the seeds, even if their pit has opened, will not germinate. A sign of seed readiness for sowing is the appearance of a tiny sprout (root). In order to prevent premature germination of seeds, which most often occurs at a temperature of about 5 ° C, it is necessary to reduce it, especially at the end of stratification, to 1-2 ° C.
I.V. Grushvitsky draws attention to the amazing parallelism between the development of the embryo in the seed and the development of the rudiment of the shoot in the dormant bud on the plant. Both require a four-month warm and equally long cold period for development. The need of seeds for natural thermal stratification is their primary feature, which they had as early as the Tertiary period, and the stage of cold stratification was apparently acquired later as an adaptation to the conditions of a temperate climate with cold winters.
In 000 Agricultural Enterprise "Ginseng" of the Unech district, seeds are collected from plants 4-6 years old. Rinse the seeds with clean water, rubbing them with your palms until completely cleaned of pulp and fibers. Only those seeds that have sunk in water are used for sowing. After cleaning and airing in the shade. Seeds are disinfected by soaking for 15-20 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate with a concentration of 0.1-0.2%. After disinfection, they are mixed with sand in the ratio - 1 part of seeds, 3 parts of sand and placed in a lavsan bag. Sand should be coarse-grained from 1.5 to 4 mm in diameter. The sifted and washed sand is calcined on a sheet of iron for 3 hours until the organic residues are completely burned. This sand is ready to be mixed with ginseng seeds.
In our practice, the stratification process consists of two periods - warm (at a temperature of +18-20°C) and cold (at a temperature of +1-2°C). Each period lasts 4-5 months. During the stratification period, the sand is systematically moistened. Once a month, the seeds are separated from the sand, ventilated and disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate with a concentration of 0.1-0.2%, the sand is calcined. With accelerated stratification, the seeds peck by the spring of next year and they can be sown in late April or early May. According to our data, the number of seeds ready for sowing is 85-90%.
In addition, the method of cold (natural) stratification has been mastered in the “LLC SHP “Ginseng” of the Unechsky district. The essence of this method is as follows. Mixed seeds with sand are buried in the ground to a depth of 10 cm. In the fall, before the soil freezes and in the spring after it thaws, the seeds are dug out every month, aired, viewed, disinfected and again dropped to a depth of 10 cm. During the entire period, stratification must be monitored. It is important that the seeds do not harm the mice and that there is no drying or waterlogging of the soil. With natural stratification, the seeds peck by the autumn of next year and are sown in ridges in September-October. Before sowing, the seeds are separated from the sand. Within 15-20 minutes they are treated in a 0.2% solution of potassium permanganate, aired and sown. It is important to note that the process of seed stratification requires careful implementation of all recommended operations and further scientific study.
Our experience showed that the local application of vermicompost in a row with seeds contributed to an increase in the field germination of seeds and the survival of ginseng plants by 2.6-2.8 times compared with its surface application after sowing the seeds (Table).

The effect of biohumus on the field germination of seeds and the survival of ginseng plants

21-03-2014, 08:24

The specific epithet is derived from the Chinese name for the plant. Literally translated from Chinese, the word "ginseng" means "root man" ( zhen- Human, shen- root). This name was given to him because the ginseng root sometimes very much resembles a human figure.
Ginseng has been known and used in Eastern folk medicine for at least 4-5 millennia. The first written mention of it is in the ancient Chinese work on medicines "Shen-nong-ben cao", dating back to the 1st century BC. BC. A large place is given to the description of ginseng in the consolidated Chinese pharmacopoeia of the 16th century.
The roots of 400-600 years old were considered the largest wild-growing roots. The age of such roots reaches 350 years or more.
The largest known root was discovered in 1905 during the construction of a railway in Manchuria. Its mass was 600 g, and the age of the plant, according to scientists, was about 200 years. This root was sold for 5 thousand dollars, which, according to the Manchu merchants, was not even half of its value.
At the beginning of September 1975, the hunter A. Yurganov handed over a rare-sized ginseng root weighing 365 g to the reception base of the Olginsky state industrial farm (Primorsky Territory). In 1980, a root weighing 419 g was found by a hunter in the Ussuri taiga.
Botanical characteristic. Ginseng is a perennial (over 50 years) herbaceous relict plant that grew back in the Neogene and Paleogene, over a million years ago, but to date has survived only in the remote mountain taiga.
A plant up to 80 cm high with a vertical or slightly inclined thin (no more than 1.5 cm in diameter) and long (up to 10 cm) rhizome (neck) and a thickened, fleshy grayish-yellow, cylindrical-oblong main root (body), up to 2-3 cm in diameter and 20-25 cm long, having 2-6 branches at the end, and in the upper part ring wrinkles (leaf scars), the number of which increases with age. Adventitious roots (processes) depart from the rhizome, which can be quite thick. An overwintering bud develops at the top of the rhizome, and the future above-ground shoot is laid in it. The main root is thickened, taproot, fleshy, aromatic, greyish-yellow with thin skeletal lateral roots bearing seasonal suction roots.
If the apical bud is damaged, the plant is able to hibernate, sometimes lasting several decades.
Stem straight, solitary (rarely 2-5), green, hollow. Young plants develop 1-2, and adults 4-5 (occasionally more) long-petiolate five-fingered leaves arranged in whorls. Leaflets obovate, pointed, with a wedge-shaped base, finely serrate along the edge, glabrous on both sides and only along the veins from above with single hairs; the lower leaves are much smaller than the upper ones. By the time of flowering (in nature at the 10-11th year of life, in culture - at the 3rd year), a flowering stem is ejected from the center of the whorl, emerging from the whorl of leaves, thin, up to 25 cm long, with one apical simple umbrella, below which sometimes form smaller umbrellas. Umbrellas on relatively long pedicels. Flowers are about 2 mm in diameter, with a calyx of 5 short teeth; petals 5, they are pinkish, rarely white; stamens 5, with thin filaments and ovoid milky white anthers; ovary 2-3-nested with one ovule per nest. The fruit is a bright red, flattened two-celled (occasionally three-celled) berry-like drupe with a thin, fleshy outer shell and a cartilaginous inner shell. Seeds are light yellow, wrinkled, flat, disc-shaped, 4-5 mm long and 4-6 mm wide. Reproduction is exclusively by seed. Birds play an important role in the distribution of the species.
Distribution and habitat. Ginseng is an endemic, relict plant. Within Russia, the range lies in the Far East in the Primorsky Territory, from Vladivostok west to the Khor River, a tributary of the Ussuri River (not reaching the city of Khabarovsk). In the 20th century, due to intensive harvesting, as well as deforestation and forest fires, the range of this species has noticeably decreased, especially in the northern part.
Abroad, thickets in China and Korea are almost destroyed; only rare specimens are found.
Currently, ginseng is a rare plant. Occurs as single specimens in remote mountain taiga, mainly on northern slopes, in shady cedar-broad-leaved and cedar-spruce-broad-leaved forests of the Manchurian type; on southern slopes found only in deep, shady gorges. It grows on brown, mountain-forest soils, underlain by gruss of crystalline rocks, in conditions that exclude waterlogging of the soil.
Under favorable conditions, self-seeding of ginseng seeds can create a whole colony of plants of different ages. Such "families" most often consist of three to five plants. According to the rooters, in the taiga there are "families" and a hundred roots.
Chemical composition. Ginseng root contains triterpene glycosides - panaxosides (ginsinosides) A, B, C, D, E, F, essential and fatty oils, pectins and other carbohydrates, saponins, ascorbic acid, vitamins B1 B2, iron, magnesium, manganese and other substances.
biological features. A characteristic feature of ripening fruits is the underdevelopment of the embryo in them, as a result of which the seeds germinate very slowly. Sown in autumn in the year of collection, they sprout only after 18-22 months, that is, after two winters. The slow development of the embryo is explained by the low activity of enzymes, whose activity is aimed at accelerating chemical transformations in the metabolic process. A similar state of the enzymatic system of ginseng seeds is associated with its biological characteristics as a relict plant. The processes of growth and development of the plant at all subsequent stages also proceed slowly. Leaves characteristic of adult plants are formed after several years. In young plants, one trifoliate leaf is formed, later five-fingered; gradually over the years, a second, third, fourth, sometimes fifth leaf appears; all leaves are first trifoliate, then five-fingered. For the first time, wild ginseng blooms no earlier than 10 years after seed germination, usually having 3 palmate leaves at this time; the average annual growth of the root does not exceed 1.5 g.
Vegetation of ginseng begins in mid-May. In the first 20-25 days there is a rapid growth of the aerial part (stem, leaves), the formation of which consumes a significant amount of reserve substances of the root. The root grows most actively in July - August. The plant blooms in early June. The fruits ripen in the first half of August, and fall off (if not pecked by birds) simultaneously with the death of the above-ground shoot - in early October.
Cultivation.
The plant is introduced into culture. It first happened in Korea about 1000 years ago. In the vicinity of the city of Kaesong, there is a plantation that is more than six centuries old. Ginseng has been cultivated in China since the 17th century, in Japan since the 19th century, and in the USA since the middle of the 19th century. In Russia, the first plantation was established in 1910. Korea is still the main supplier of cultivated ginseng to the world market. Ginseng is one of the main cultivated medicinal plants in Japan and China. In Russia, the culture of ginseng began to be developed in many places. Initially, in the Primorsky Territory (state farm "Ginseng"), and then gradually moved to the West. Experimental plantings are available in a number of regions of the European part. There are ginseng plantations in the North Caucasus (Teberdinsky State Reserve).
The most troublesome thing in wife breeding is getting seedlings from seeds. Sowing is carried out either in autumn with freshly harvested seeds (seedlings appear only after two winters), or in early spring - stratified. Stratification of ginseng seeds is carried out under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity and consists of two stages - "warm" and "cold", each of which lasts about four months. During the thermal phase of stratification at a temperature of 18...20 °C, the embryo develops and grows. By the end of the thermal period, 90% of the seeds have a "bone opening" (a crack along the seed). Cold stratification is carried out in the basement at a temperature of 1 ... 2 ° C, after which the washed seeds are treated with a 0.02% aqueous solution of gibberellin for 24 hours. When seedlings appear, seeds are sown in ridges prepared in the fall of the previous year. Since in the first two years of vegetation the plants develop very slowly and are small in size, the ginseng culture is carried out in seedlings. It is economically more profitable to grow ginseng seedlings for two years in a relatively small nursery area than to immediately sow in a permanent place. Sowing seeds in the nursery is carried out in the spring to a depth of 2-4 cm. The distance between seeds in rows is 5 cm with row spacing of 10 cm. Seedlings that have reached the age of two are planted on plantation ridges. The best time for planting a plantation is autumn, when the plants have completely finished growing and the aerial parts of the plants begin to die off (first half of October).
The site for planting seedlings should be well prepared: have a slight slope for the flow of rain and melt water. Plants do not tolerate the proximity of groundwater, they prefer loose forest soils with an admixture of humus (6-8 kg / m2). Before planting seedlings, 10-12 kg/m2 of organic mixture, superphosphate 40-45 g/m2 and 15 g/m2 of potassium chloride are added to the ridges. Seedlings are planted with a feeding area of ​​30x40 cm. When planting, the root is laid at an angle of 30 ... 45 °, leaving 4-5 cm of soil above the bud. The surface is mulched with leaf humus or a layer of hardwood sawdust with a layer of 2-3 cm. During autumn (winter) planting, the ridges are covered with spruce branches or plastic wrap. In the spring, these temporary shelters are removed.
Growing ginseng is difficult: the necessary conditions are the creation of highly fertile ridges, protection from direct sunlight and careful care of the plants. Frames are installed above the ridges, on which dense grass mats or wooden shields are laid.
Very often, ginseng roots are damaged by wireworms; to protect them, potato tubers fixed with wooden sticks are buried in the aisle. The wireworm prefers potatoes to ginseng and accumulates in its tubers, which are then removed from the soil along with pests by a stick.
A wild-growing root becomes marketable no earlier than 25-30 years, while on plantations ginseng reaches a marketable value at the age of 5 (in the DPRK and in Russia - in the Far East) or at 7 years (in China, USA, Russia). - in the Caucasus).
The average raw root biomass is about 60 g, the maximum is 300 g or more.
At the Far Eastern Zonal Experimental Station BHLAP, a high yield of raw ginseng roots from commercial plantations has been achieved - 35 ... 40 centners / ha, the weight of one root reaches 150 ... 250 g.
Medicinal raw materials.
Among the dried roots in the East, "red" and "white" are distinguished, which depends on the method of their processing. To get the "red" root, it is treated with steam of boiling water for an hour, then dried during the day in the sun, and at night over a light fire. In this case, the root becomes hard, translucent and acquires a red-brown color.
The white root is valued below the red root and is prepared by drying in the sun. In Primorsky Krai, roots are dried without preliminary steaming in well-ventilated hot air dryers at temperatures up to 60 °C. Their moisture content after drying should not exceed 10%. Large roots are cut into plates before drying. Roots dried in this way are called "white".
In Korea, Japan, China, the so-called "sugar ginseng" is sometimes made: the root is in boiling water for several minutes, then a series of punctures are made in it, and placed in a porcelain jar with a concentrated sugar solution. After the sugar has been absorbed into the root, the root is removed from the jar and dried in the sun in a wooden box with a glass lid. The roots become white in color.
Wild roots are taken fresh. The standard for fresh roots of cultivated ginseng stipulates that ginseng roots must be harvested in the fall, not earlier than in the 5th year of the plant's life, freed from the aerial part and thoroughly cleaned from the ground (they cannot be washed). They should be healthy, elastic to the touch, dense and sluggish. The body of the root is fleshy, thickened, almost cylindrical, at the top with weakly expressed annular thickenings, with 2-5 processes, less often without them. The rhizome, located in the upper part of the root, is narrowed, transversely wrinkled, short, irregular or rounded, with weakly pronounced annular scars from annually dying stems. One or more adventitious roots sometimes depart from the neck; lateral and adventitious roots branch into thin, numerous thread-like roots - lobes. Healed traces of various injuries in the form of cracks, sores, etc. are often visible on the surface of the body and processes. The color of the root on the outside is yellow-white and light brown, white on the break. The smell is weak, specific, the taste is sweetish-bitter. Root weight not less than 20 g.
Artificial saturation of the root with water to increase its mass and give a fresher look is recognized after a few days; under normal storage conditions, it withers and becomes flabby.
Raw ginseng roots are packed in wooden boxes. The box inside is covered with moss of medium humidity, the bottom is covered with earth. The earth is taken from the places of harvesting ginseng; it should be of normal soil moisture and sifted through a sieve. The boxes are clogged, sheathed around the edges with hoop iron, covered with packing cloth and sealed.
Store raw materials in a dry room at a temperature of 3 ... 8 ° C. Guaranteed shelf life of fresh ginseng roots is 5 days from the date of preparation, subject to the storage conditions established by the standard.
Numerical indicators.
Extractive substances extracted with 70% alcohol, not less than 20%; humidity not more than 13%; total ash no more than 5%; roots, darkened and brownish from the surface, no more than 10%. Red and white roots of Korean ginseng are allowed for medical use. The red root is translucent, has a horn-like texture, very hard and heavy, the surface is longitudinally deeply wrinkled, and finely folded on the transverse section; thin roots are fragile. The “body” of the root is fusiform or almost cylindrical, the “neck” and “head” are usually absent, in some specimens traces of 1-3 stems are visible on the top. There are few branches, in the upper part there are 1-2 processes, in the lower part there are 2-3 processes or more. Root lobes are usually cut off and come separately, connected in small bundles. The color outside and at the break is reddish-brown. The taste is sweetish, then bitter.
The white root differs from the red in color, it is whitish-yellow on the outside, white at the break, mealy.
Application.
In scientific medicine, ginseng is used as a tonic for hypotension, physical and mental fatigue, after severe long-term illnesses, impotence, decreased performance, nutritional decline, functional disorders of the cardiovascular system, sexual dysfunction, especially with hypofunction of the gonads, diabetes, neuromuscular - Mental illnesses of a functional nature.
Taking ginseng preparations contributes to a more rapid recovery of the functional state of the liver in Botkin's disease.
In Korea, ginseng leaves are also used for medicinal purposes to speed up the healing of wounds and ulcers.
In ginseng preparations, the seasonality of action is clearly expressed. They are most effective in autumn and winter, and in the spring-summer period, the effect opposite to the expected one is possible.