Status of Research on Ginseng Quality and its Problem

인삼의 품질 연구 현황 및 문제점

Ginseng has been used as a medicinal herb in the world for more than two thousand years. Inspection of the quality of ginseng was made since many hundred years ago. Ginseng quality has been graded by several methodes, based on saponin contents, number of ginsenosides, shape of root and tissue elaborateness. In present. ginseng products are usually evaluated by saponin contents and number of ginsenosides. On the other hand, fresh and manufactured ginseng roots such as red. white and semi-red ginseng, Taegeuk Sam, are mostly graded by root shape such as root development and skin (epidermis) color, and tissue elaborateness. which is a conventional grading method. However, the root shape grading method has a risk of overlooking real medicinal properties of ginseng. So. both the medicinal ingredients and the conventional grading method should be considered for the proper evaluation of ginseng quality. Therefore, for the establishment of better method in evaluating ginseng quality, the relationships of root shape and useful components are required to be studied.