Vietnamese ginseng grown in laboratory

The Hanoi Times - Scientists of the Army Medical Academy have successfully researched and applied cellular biomass technology to grow the world’s most precious Ngoc Linh ginseng in a laboratory.

Ngoc Linh ginseng is found only in Vietnam, on a mountain of the same name in the central province of Quang Nam and Kon Tum.

Its scientific name is Panax Vietnamensis and is popularly known worldwide as Vietnamese ginseng. It’s widely regarded as being even better than world renowned Korean ginseng.

In a modern laboratory at the Army Medical Academy, there are hundreds of small vases containing tiny green specks. These are the testing tubes, the living environment for millions of Ngoc Linh ginseng cells.

With several cells extracted from Ngoc Linh ginseng trees’ roots, scientists can produce a large number of Ngoc Linh ginseng trees within 15 days.

This project is part of a joint research programme between Vietnam and South Korea that started in 2006.

Researchers have already successfully produced medical products from Ngoc Linh ginseng. 

Previously Vietnamese scientists tried to multiply Ngoc Linh ginseng trees in natural conditions but results were limited.

Vietnamese ginseng was found in the highlands of central Vietnam in 1973, and was regarded as a new species, and subsequently named Panax Vietnamensis Ha et Grushv (1985). This is the most southern distribution of the Panax genus (Araliaceae).

It has been a secret medicine of the Sedang ethnic group,” a miraculous, life-saving plant drug used for the treatment of many serious diseases and for enhancing body strength during long journeys in high mountains.”

Chemical studies of the constituents of the plant have identified 23 saponins including 14 new compounds. Some of them are common to Panax ginseng, such as protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol saponins but in higher concentration in this species. In addition, an extremely high concentration of ocotillol saponins, i.e. majonoside-R2 (5.3% of the dried rhizome) has been identified. (Source: home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp)