Table 2.

Complex active ingredients of Panax ginseng

Category	Active ingredients	Effects
Ginsenosides	Protopanaxadiols: Ra1, Ra2, Ra3, Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, Rd, Rg3, Rh2 Protopanaxatriols: Rg1, Rg2, Re, Rf, Rh1, Rh3 oleanolic acid: Ro	Anti‐depression, anti‐tumour, anti‐ageing, anti‐ischaemic brain injury, immunomodulation, CNS regulation
Ginseng polysaccharides	Monosaccharide: glucose, galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, mannose etc Disaccharide: sucrose, maltose, locust, etc Polysaccharide: ginseng trisaccharide and ginseng tetrasaccharide	Immunomodulation, anti‐tumour, inhibition of liver injury, hypoglycaemic activity
Ginseng polypeptides	Oligopeptide I, II, II, IV	Hypolipidemic and hepatic glycogen‐lowering
Volatile oils	Sesquiterpenes, β‐elemene, panaxynol panaxydol, panaxytriol, ginsenyne, panasinsene, etc	Bacteriostasis and improvement of myocardial ischaemic injury
Polyacetylenes	Panaxydol, panaxytriol	Anti‐tumour and anti‐leukaemia
Organic acids and esters	Citric acid, isocitric acid, fumaric acid, linoleic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, panax acid, triglyceride, palmitic acid, etc	Anti‐oxidation
Others	Microelements, vitamins, alkaloids, lignins	Regulation of growth, metabolism and immune function