title: A comparative study on anticoagulant activities of three Chinese herbal medicines from the genus Panax and anticoagulant activities of ginsenosides Rg1 and Rg2.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chemical compositions of three herbal plants from the family Araliaceae genus Panax [Panax ginseng C. A. Mey, P. quinquefolius L. and P. notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen] are quite similar; however, their medicinal natures vary greatly. The reason for differences has been explained in traditional Chinese medicine theory and partially verified by modern pharmacological investigations, such as antiplatelet aggregation. Aside from platelet aggregation, a variety of plasma coagulation factors are also involved in blood coagulation. The anticoagulation profiles of three herbs have not been investigated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current research compared the inhibitory effects of three herbal extracts from Panax spp. and the purified ginsenosides from P. ginseng on blood coagulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human plasma was mixed with the water extracts (0.05 and 0.1 mg/mL) from roots of P. ginseng, P. quinquefolius and P. notoginseng and ginsenosides Rg1 and Rg2 (0.05 and 0.1 mg/mL), the blood clotting time of activated partial thromboplastin, prothrombin and thrombin were measured by a biochemical analyzer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The water extracts (0.05 mg/mL) of P. ginseng, P. quinquefolius and P. notoginseng could significantly extend blood clotting time as compared to the control group. Among three herbal medicines, 0.05 mg/mL of water extract from P. ginseng exhibited the strongest anticoagulation effects, followed by P. notoginseng, while P. quinquefolius presented the weakest effects. Both ginsenosides Rg1 and Rg2 could significantly extend blood clotting time in all three tests; ginsenoside Rg2 exhibited relative stronger anticoagulation effects as compared to ginsenoside Rg1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among three herbs tested, P. ginseng as well as its active component ginsenoside Rg2 shows the strongest anticoagulation activity; current results indicate that P. ginseng and ginsenoside Rg2 have great potential to be an anticoagulation drug.
authors.affiliation: College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D053723:Panax notoginseng / Q000737:chemistry*; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D013918:Thrombin Time; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D036145:Ginsenosides; C026474:ginsenoside Rg2; C035054:ginsenoside Rg1