Panax notoginseng is a precious medicinal herb, with value no less than ginseng. The saponin content – which has many pharmacological effects typical of the Panax genus such as increasing strength, anti-depression, adaptive proliferation, and antioxidant effects – in Panax notoginseng is twice as high as in ginseng, and the price is cheaper than Korean ginseng. In particular, all the ingredients of this medicinal herb can be used as  medicine .

Liquid Panax Notoginseng Products

One of the effects of Panax pseudoginseng that scientists at home and abroad are interested in studying is its anti-cancer effect. Through research, it has been shown that Panax pseudoginseng has the effect of reducing tumor size in mice that have been induced with cancer (by implanting malignant cancer cells). Panax pseudoginseng also limits the metastasis of cancer cells and prolongs the life of experimental mice. From the above facts, the research team at the Saigon Pharmaceutical Science and Technology Center  created a liquid Panax pseudoginseng extract that helps increase resistance and limit the growth of cancer cells.

Cancer treatment support products from Panax notoginseng are mainly prepared in the form of powder, tablets, and capsules. A small part is prepared in the form of red ginseng (steamed at high temperature), but there is no liquid extract form. This is a dosage form that has a higher absorption  efficiency  than the dosage forms of tablets and capsules.

In the process of making liquid extract of Panax pseudoginseng, after being cleaned, Vietnamese Panax pseudoginseng roots are steamed with water at 120oC for 4 hours. The most suitable processing conditions were determined by the authors based on changes in ginsenoside content and changes in inhibitory activity on A549 lung cancer cells and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Then, the raw materials are dried at 60oC until reaching a humidity of <10%, to obtain processed Panax pseudoginseng products. To prepare liquid extract, processed Panax pseudoginseng is crushed into powder,  then  extracted by reflux method, with ethanol (EtOH 80%) as solvent.

The liquid extract has a dark brown color, a characteristic smell of Panax notoginseng, and a bitter taste. Tests showed that Panax notoginseng extract did not exhibit acute oral toxicity in mice at a maximum dose of 200 ml of liquid extract/kg and 55 gr of concentrated extract/kg. The product is intended to support cancer patients with an expected dose of about 2-3 times/day. According to the authors’ estimate, the cost of using the product is from 35,000 – 40,000 VND/day.

In addition, the group has established 5 basic standards with basic indicators of medicinal raw materials and extracts of Panax notoginseng raw materials, processed Panax notoginseng, standardized Panax notoginseng extract, concentrated Panax notoginseng extract, and liquid Panax notoginseng extract. These standards have been assessed by an independent agency, the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Drug Testing.

Source: NPD (synthesis)