ABC and Botanical Adulterants Program Publish In-Depth
Review of History, Nomenclature, and Classifications of Ginseng
Cover story of HerbalGram
features rare, historic illustrations of one of world’s most traded and
researched medicinal plants
AUSTIN, Texas (September 28, 2016)
As its cover story, issue 111 of the American Botanical Council’s peer-reviewed
journal HerbalGram features a comprehensive,
22-page article about the history, nomenclature, taxonomy, and trade
of ginseng (Panax spp.) root. The article, written by noted author and
photographer Steven Foster, is one of the most extensive articles ever
published in HerbalGram and includes historical artwork of ginseng, some
of which was initially published in the 17th and 18th centuries and has not
been seen in print for over a century.
The article is replete with nine ginseng illustrations, two tables, and 112
references.
This article is part of the growing educational coverage of herb adulteration
by the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program (BAP). To understand modern
adulteration of ginseng root, it is necessary to first understand the complex
history and nomenclature of various plant species that have been both appropriately
and erroneously called “ginseng” at one time or another. Foster’s article
thoroughly covers this information.
Highly prized by the Chinese for at
least 2,200 years, Asian ginseng (P. ginseng) root has, historically,
been subject to adulteration for economic incentive and because of widespread
confusion between it and other plant species both inside and outside the
Araliaceae family. The “discovery” of American ginseng (P.
quinquefolius) in 1700 in Canada further added to the complexity.
Foster has spent a good portion of the past several years researching this
subject and collecting information about the use and misuse of the common name
“ginseng” in trade and in scientific research — nomenclatural nuances that have
added significant confusion and misinformation in the global herb trade.
PubMed searches for trade names
such as “Siberian ginseng” (Eleutherococcus senticosus, known now
in the United States by its preferred common name “eleuthero”), so-called
“Indian ginseng” (ashwagandha; Withania somnifera), and so-called
“Brazilian ginseng” (Pfaffia paniculata) result in numerous
citations. Although the term “Siberian ginseng” has been accepted by the herb
trade in many countries for over three decades, these misuses of the name
“ginseng” only muddle issues, and do not further scientific accuracy.
The case of ginseng exemplifies how
historical high demand, coupled with confusion and disagreement about how to
appropriately classify and identify species, can necessitate robust quality
control measures today.
“Ginseng has a long history of use in Asia, where it is a highly prized
medicinal plant,” said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of ABC
and editor-in-chief of HerbalGram. “Over the centuries, due to
its traditionally high price, it has been adulterated with lower-cost plant
materials, and other non-ginseng plants have been sold as 'ginseng' to the
probable disadvantage of the consumer. This in-depth article is a necessary
first step in our attempts to help educate stakeholders about ways ginseng is
still being adulterated and how this practice can be stopped.”
The cover image is a hand-colored plate of “Panax schinseng” from Theodor F.L. Nees
von Esenbeck’s rare supplement volume of Plantae officinales oder Sammlung officineller
Pflanzen, which was published in 1833. Also accompanying the
article is a color plate showing different root products from various Panax species,
which was adapted from Carl Anton von Meyer’s 1842 paper that first established
the scientific name Panax ginseng.
Previously, in HerbalGram issue 92, Foster, a member of ABC’s Board of
Trustees, covered the history of adulteration of herbs, spices, and botanical
drugs in the past two millennia. He has also written articles about the
adulteration of skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) herb in issue
93; bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) fruit extract in issue 96; and black
cohosh (Actaea racemosa) root and rhizome, which was the cover story
of issue 98.
The ginseng article is part of the growing educational coverage of
the BAP intended to inform members of the herb and natural products industry,
and related stakeholders, about the problems associated with accidental and
intentional adulteration of botanical raw materials and extracts. Another
extensive article on ginseng adulteration dealing with actual examples of
adulteration of ginseng and analytical methods that have been developed to
detect this adulteration is planned for publication in 2017.
About
the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program
The American Botanical Council (ABC)-American Herbal Pharmacopoeia
(AHP)-National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR) Botanical
Adulterants Program is an international consortium of nonprofit professional
organizations, analytical laboratories, university research centers, industry
trade associations, industry members, and other parties. The Program advises
industry, researchers, health professionals, government agencies, the media,
and the public about the various challenges related to adulterated botanical
ingredients sold in commerce. To date, more than 175 US and international
parties have financially supported or otherwise endorsed the Program.
To date, the Botanical Adulterants Program has issued 24 peer-reviewed
publications on the subject of botanical adulteration. These include six
extensively peer-reviewed articles on the history of
adulteration, the adulteration of the herbs black cohosh
and skullcap,
adulteration of bilberry fruit extract,
the new report on ginseng,
and the sale of synthetic antimicrobial compounds labeled to contain so-called “grapefruit seed
extract.” In addition, the Program has issued six Botanical
Adulterants Bulletins covering arnica flower, bilberry fruit extract, black
cohosh root and rhizome, goldenseal root and rhizome, grape seed extract, and
skullcap herb, and has also published three Laboratory Guidance
Documents reviewing and evaluating analytical methods to
authenticate and detect adulteration of bilberry extract, black cohosh, and
skullcap. The Program also publishes a quarterly e-newsletter, the Botanical Adulterants
Monitor, that highlights new scientific publications related to
botanical authenticity and analysis to detect possible adulteration, recent
regulatory actions, and Program news. All of the Program’s publications are
freely available on the Program’s website.