What do scientists say about Lai Chau ginseng?

Lai Chau ginseng is also considered a “national treasure” by the government like Ngoc Linh ginseng. However, Vietnamese ginseng researchers still have different assessments of the quality and value of Lai Chau ginseng.

 

Professor, Dr. Tran Cong Luan – former Director of the Ginseng and Medicinal Materials Center of Ho Chi Minh City, currently Principal of Tay Do University:

Nhà khoa học nói gì về sâm Lai Châu? - Ảnh 2.

Vietnamese ginseng (Panax vietnamensis) is understood as Ngoc Linh ginseng in the international market, because the plant has a narrow distribution area in Ngoc Linh mountain in the two provinces of Kon Tum and Quang Nam. However, up to now, two more varieties of Vietnamese ginseng have been discovered (Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus in Lai Chau, Panax vietnamensis var. langbianensis in Lam Dong), and a species of Puxailaileng ginseng in Nghe An is also considered to be close to Vietnamese ginseng. Of which, Lai Chau ginseng (Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus) is considered to have a similar chemical composition to Vietnamese ginseng because it also has the dominant compound majonosid M2 (MR2) like Vietnamese ginseng. However, there is unverified information that Lai Chau ginseng also has 52 saponin compounds and has biological effects like Vietnamese ginseng. Currently, on the Pumed Database, there are only 3 published articles related to the saponin composition in Lai Chau ginseng based on high-performance chromatography techniques compared with some saponin compounds as a control substance. Therefore, it cannot be said that in the rhizome and root of Lai Chau ginseng, there are 52 saponin compounds like in Vietnamese ginseng. The topic “Research on the development of a process for propagating and growing Lai Chau ginseng (Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus K.Komatsu, S.Zhu & S.Q.Cai)” by Master Pham Quang Tuyen has only isolated and identified 6 main saponin compounds in Lai Chau ginseng: MR2, GRd, GRb1, GRe, GRg1, silpiosid E.

Dr. Nguyen Van Binh – Faculty of Biology, Dalat University:

Nhà khoa học nói gì về sâm Lai Châu? - Ảnh 3.

From the perspective of genetic research, I have also solved several genomes of Ngoc Linh ginseng and Lai Chau ginseng. Basically, the genes of these two types of ginseng are similar, closely related. Similar genes mean that the synthesis of medicinal substances is also basically similar. However, to determine which ginseng is better than which ginseng, we need to conduct more in-depth and comprehensive research. Even Ngoc Linh ginseng, if grown in different regions, has different morphology and different medicinal substances. In studies to compare and evaluate whether Lai Chau ginseng has more or less medicinal substances, how much medicinal substances it contains, etc., we must consider the collected samples and how the research was conducted. In short, it is necessary to conduct more in-depth research on Lai Chau ginseng to be able to properly assess the quality criteria and value of this type of ginseng that is considered close to Ngoc Linh ginseng.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Pham Quang Tuyen – Institute of Silviculture Research, Vietnam Forestry Science Institute:

Nhà khoa học nói gì về sâm Lai Châu? - Ảnh 4.
Lai Chau ginseng has been used as medicine by indigenous people in the highland districts of Lai Chau province for a long time under the names of black ginseng and red ginseng. Some studies have described the morphology, analyzed the genetics and determined that Lai Chau ginseng is the same species as Ngoc Linh ginseng or is also known as a new type of Vietnamese ginseng. Lai Chau ginseng has some chemical components with saponin content equivalent to Ngoc Linh ginseng, with great potential for development, cultivation and processing into goods to serve domestic and export needs.
Recent research results show that Lai Chau ginseng has a total saponin content of up to 23.85%. Initial research on Lai Chau ginseng has isolated 6 types of saponins and some main active ingredients that Ngoc Linh ginseng also has, especially the Majonosid-R2 (MR2) content is as high as 7.04 – 7.78% and accounts for a large proportion of the isolated saponins. However, Lai Chau ginseng has just been studied, so the isolation of saponin components has not been fully completed, and research on pharmacological and medical effects needs to be invested in more research to clarify the value of this ginseng. In my opinion, this is a precious ginseng, likened to “the sleeping princess” whose potential and value have not been fully awakened. In the coming time, with the participation of researchers, businesses, especially the investment of the state according to Decision No. 611/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister approving the Vietnamese ginseng development program, Lai Chau ginseng has the opportunity to develop and become a precious medicinal herb known and used by many people.

 

Dr. Le Thi Hong Van – Vietnamese ginseng researcher, lecturer at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City:

Nhà khoa học nói gì về sâm Lai Châu? - Ảnh 5.
Vietnamese ginseng (also known as Ngoc Linh ginseng) was discovered in 1973 in Ngoc Linh mountain and was officially named scientifically as Panax vietnamensis (family Araliaceace). In 2002 – 2003, Japanese and Chinese scientists discovered a new variety of Vietnamese ginseng, Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus (also known as Yesanchi), and not long after that, this species was also announced to be naturally distributed in the Lai Chau mountains in specialized journals. Therefore, this Vietnamese ginseng is also called Lai Chau ginseng.
Compared to other ginseng species in the world, studies on the active ingredients and pharmacological effects of Vietnamese ginseng are still quite limited. Up to now, more than 70 saponin compounds (ginsenosides) have been announced from different parts of Vietnamese ginseng. Regarding saponin content, many studies have shown that Vietnamese ginseng has a much higher saponin content than other ginseng species.
Studies analyzing the chemical composition of Vietnamese ginseng (Lai Chau ginseng and Ngoc Linh ginseng) are being studied to compare the differences and how to distinguish these two types of ginseng. Initial studies also show that Lai Chau ginseng is quite similar in chemical composition to Ngoc Linh ginseng in terms of the number of components and active ingredient content. At the same time, these studies can also create the necessary information to identify and preserve Lai Chau ginseng and Ngoc Linh ginseng, ensuring sustainable development and protection of this precious natural resource.

Professor, Dr. Nguyen Minh Duc – Vietnamese ginseng researcher, Head of Pharmacy Faculty, Ton Duc Thang University:

Nhà khoa học nói gì về sâm Lai Châu? - Ảnh 6.

Ngoc Linh ginseng (Panax vietnamensis Ha et Grushv.) is often officially called Vietnamese ginseng (“Vietnamese ginseng” in international publications), is a new Panax species, endemic to Vietnam, discovered in Ngoc Linh region in 1973. Up to now, through many systematic research results on many aspects of botany, chemistry, pharmacology, clinical … Ngoc Linh ginseng has been recognized as a precious plant of the world, comparable to ginseng, a leading tonic plant of traditional medicine (ginseng, velvet, cinnamon, aconite). Lai Chau ginseng was first discovered in 1993 in Yunnan (China) under the name Yesanchi (wild ginseng), scientific name is Panax vietnamensis var. fiscidiscus, currently widely grown in Yunnan and mainly exported to Vietnam at a much cheaper price than Ngoc Linh ginseng. In 2013, Phan Ke Long and his colleagues discovered this ginseng growing naturally in Lai Chau and named it Lai Chau ginseng. Botanically, due to the similarity in species, only different varieties, Ngoc Linh ginseng and Lai Chau ginseng are quite similar in external morphology. Chemical studies also show that the composition and saponin content of Lai Chau ginseng are similar to Ngoc Linh ginseng. However, because Lai Chau ginseng has not been studied much, especially in terms of biological and pharmacological effects, there is no scientific basis to compare its medicinal value with Ngoc Linh ginseng. Recently, Lai Chau ginseng has also been recognized as a precious ginseng, ranked as a “national treasure” of Vietnam. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in in-depth research on Lai Chau ginseng in all aspects to affirm its value in order to develop this ginseng more strongly.