Determining the value of Vietnamese ginseng: A harmful misconception!

Lai Chau ginseng (SLC) was discovered and studied later than Ngoc Linh ginseng (SNL). Therefore, it is understandable that fewer research papers on SLC have been published. The important question is: does SLC truly contain fewer compounds than SNL? The data from published ginseng studies depends on the time, scope, and methods used. In other words, the list of published compounds reflects not only the ginseng plant itself but also how and to what extent we have studied this precious herb.

PHOTO: QUANG VIEN

Modern technology is changing the way we do research.

According to information presented at the scientific conference "Lai Chau Ginseng - The Quintessence of the Northwest Forests" held on September 19-20 in Lai Chau, modern analytical techniques such as LC-MS/MS and high-resolution mass spectrometry allow for the simultaneous examination of multiple compounds in a single sample. Based on molecular weight, fragmentation characteristics, retention time, and spectral library, researchers can identify or annotate many saponins (natural organic compounds belonging to the glycoside group found in plants ) without necessarily isolating each compound individually as in traditional methods. This opens up a more efficient approach to the study of Vietnamese ginseng. Instead of isolating each compound before determining its structure, modern technology allows for faster and broader examination of the saponin profile of the ginseng sample.

More importantly, the same analytical platform can be used to study both SNL and SLC. When samples are collected, processed, and analyzed under similar conditions, the chemical profiles of the two types of ginseng can be directly compared. The question then shifts from how many compounds were isolated from each type of ginseng, to how the two types of ginseng actually differ in chemical composition. "From counting compounds to comparing chemical profiles, this difference is crucial," explains a PhD in pharmacology.

Many scientists agree that the isolation of over 50 saponins from SNL is a significant and noteworthy research achievement. However, this number should not be used as a simple measure to conclude on the chemical value of SNL. Conversely, the currently lower number of publications on SLC should not be considered evidence of a less rich chemical profile. "The number of published compounds should not be used as a benchmark to compare the two types of ginseng," the aforementioned doctor emphasized.

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A direct comparative study would be far more meaningful: representative SNL and SLC samples would be collected, processed, and analyzed using the same LC-MS/MS platform. Researchers could then investigate the presence and distribution of saponin groups and identify the chemical characteristics that might differentiate the two groups. This approach allows a shift from the question, "Which type of ginseng has more compounds?", to the more crucial scientific question, "How do the two types of ginseng differ in their chemical profiles?".

SOME INDICATORS CANNOT REPRESENT AN ENTIRE TYPE OF GINSENG

According to many scientists, using the content of certain ginsenosides (a special group of triterpenoid saponin compounds) or saponins as a basis to conclude which type of ginseng is more valuable should also be done cautiously. The content of a compound can vary depending on the age of the plant, the part used, the source of the variety, the growing region, ecological conditions, the harvesting season, cultivation techniques, as well as the processing and preservation process. Therefore, if a sample of SNL (Small-Layer Ginseng) has a higher content of a compound than a sample of SLC (Laminated Ginseng), this only shows a difference between the two samples analyzed. It is not possible to generalize from one or a few individual samples to form a fixed characteristic of the entire type of ginseng.

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"For a scientific comparison, a sufficiently large and representative sample size is needed, collected and processed under similar conditions, and then analyzed using the same methods," stated Dr. Pham Quang Tuyen, a researcher on Vietnamese ginseng at the Institute of Forestry Research (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment).

Furthermore, according to many researchers of Vietnamese ginseng, although differences in chemical composition may lead to differences in pharmacological effects, the pharmacological effects of a medicinal herb are broad in scope: differences may be significant in one effect but negligible in another. Therefore, it is impossible to conclude which type of ginseng has higher pharmacological value based solely on a few chemical differences or a single effect. Even if clear differences in chemical composition are identified, it is not yet possible to immediately conclude that one type of ginseng has higher biological effects or therapeutic value than another.

PHOTO: QUANG VIEN

A medicinal plant contains many components, and its biological effects may be related to the contributions of many different compounds. Therefore, differences in the content or presence of a group of saponins are primarily chemical differences. Determining whether such differences have biological significance requires further appropriate studies on activity, mechanism of action, and preclinical or clinical evidence, depending on the research objective. In other words, the transition from a chemical number to a conclusion about pharmacological value is a research process, not a direct inference.

SNL has the advantage of a long research history, while SLC has been studied more recently and is gaining more data thanks to the development of modern analytical technologies. These two facts need to be considered in the right context.

"What science needs to do is systematically identify the chemical profiles of each type of ginseng, find similarities and differences, determine the stability of those differences, and further evaluate their biological significance. With modern analytical technologies, especially LC-MS/MS, conducting direct comparative studies between SNL and SLC is becoming increasingly feasible," said a Vietnamese ginseng researcher. (to be continued)