Results of investigation and assessment of the current status of medicinal plants of genus Panax L. in Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang

24/07/2023

The genus Panax of the family Araliaceae has a very limited distribution, including 7 species in East Asia and 1 species in North America. All species in this plant genus are medicinal plants, even world-famous precious medicinal plants such as: Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Mey), Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F.H.Chen). In Vietnam so far, 3 species are known to grow naturally: Ginseng Vu Diep (Panax japonicus var. bipinnatifidus (Seem.), Wu & Feng (Panax bipinnatifidus Seem.), and Panax stipuleanatus Tsai &; Feng). Recently, 02 new varieties of P. vietnamensis have been recorded and described in Vietnam, including P. vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus Komatsu, Zhu, Cai, 2003, distributed in Lai Chau (Muong Te, Tam Duong, Sin Ho) and Yunnan (Jinping-China); and P. vietnamensis var. langbianensis, occuring in Lam Dong (Lang Biang Mountain).

Among the species/varieties of Panax available in Vietnam, P. vietnamensis var. vietnamensis has been thoroughly studied for its medicinal value, which found very high levels of ocotillol saponins such as majonoside-R2 (5.5% in dried rhizomes) to have a high sedative effect that P. ginseng does not have. Furthermore, majonoside-R2 is resistant to Epstein-Barr early antigen virus (EBV-EA) which is the causative agent of throat cancer. On the basis of the value of P. vietnamensis var. vietnamensis, the Prime Minister signed Decision 787/QD-TTg dated 05/06/2017 adding Vietnamese Ginseng, also known as P. vietnamensis var. vietnamensis, to the list of national products. Most recently, the Prime Minister signed Decision 611/QD-TTg dated 01/06/2023 approving the Vietnam Ginseng Development Program to 2030, with orientation to 2045.

The investigation and identification of ginseng species in Vietnam helps in resource management, planning of growing areas and development of this precious medicinal herb. Previous studies have shown that Ginseng has been recorded in Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang, but the exact name of the species has not been confirmed due to the lack of morphological and molecular biological data.

Sample image of Panax notoginseng collected in Tuyen Quang

The research area of Panax ginseng species in Tuyen Quang in Lam Binh district, Tuyen Quang province, is a protective forest with an area of 39,752 hectares in 8 communes, with an altitude of 900 to 1200m above the sea surface with a peak of >1900m, a rugged limestone mountain system. The altitude and climate of this mountainous area are very suitable for ginseng to grow, such as Sinh Long area - the highest region of Tuyen Quang province - with an altitude of >1200m, including the highest peak of 1911m, Na Hang area with an altitude of 1200m - 1500m. The belt climate of 1200m and above is usually mild, cool all year round, the soil moisture is relatively high from >85%. Ginseng grows well under the forest canopy, where the soil is porous, with thick humus, good ventilation conditions, limiting regenerative plant growth.

The research area of Panax ginseng species in Ha Giang is concentrated on 3 high mountain ranges Chieu Lau Thi, West Con Linh, Ta Phin Ho in the districts of Hoang Su Fei, Bac Quang, Vi Xuyen (Ha Giang). The highest elevation in the study area is over 2,400m above sea level. Ha Giang province has a natural forest area of 345,860 hectares, which plays the role of protecting the watershed ecological environment for the Northern Delta and providing raw materials for industrial production, construction, and is an ideal eco-tourism destination.

Sample image of Panax stipuleanatus collected in Ha Giang

Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology has assigned the project of basic investigation "Investigating and assessing the current status of medicinal plants of the genus Panax L. in Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang. Project code: UQDTCB.05/21-22 chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Ke Long, lead by Vietnam Museum of Nature. Main objectives of the project including: Investigating and assessing the current status of medicinal plants of the genus Panax L. in Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang; Proposing plans for conservation of medicinal plants of the genus Panax L. in Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang.

After 02 years of implementation, the task has achieved some main results as follows: Regarding the results of the investigation and assessment of the current situation:

• 8 populations of medicinal plants of the genus Panax L. have been identified in Tuyen Quang (3 populations), Ha Giang (5 populations);
• Medicinal plants of the genus Panax L. in Tuyen Quang area have been identified as Panax notoginseng (Burk.) Chow & Huang, 1975;
• Medicinal plants of the genus Panax L.) in Ha Giang area have been identified as Panax stipuleanatus, C.T.Tsai &; K.M.Feng;
• Medicinal plants of the genus Panax L.) in Ha Giang area have been identified as Panax stipuleanatus, C.T.Tsai &; K.M.Feng;
• Assessing the current status of P. stipuleanatus populations in Ha Giang as Critically Endangered (CR)- A1a ver 3.1, with a population decline of > 90% (number of regenerated trees);
• A new distribution area of the northern Three Ventricles in Tuyen Quang has been identified.

Proposed conservation plans include:
The survey results of the mission showed that the population size of P. notoginseng in Tuyen Quang is quite small, almost no regenerative trees are found, so, although species of the genus ginseng are found as precious plants, the first recorded in this area with a very small number of individuals, therefore threatened with extinction (EN level).

The population of ginseng in Ha Giang with 57 individuals belonging to 5 sub-populations of Dong Van, Quan Ba, Hoang Su Phi, Bac Quang, Vi Xuyen has a small number of individuals, the ginseng population in this area is Panax stipuleanatus species with recorded ginseng seeds. The number of regenerated plants is very low, the risk of proximity to medicinal plants of the genus ginseng is narrowed. According to IUCN assessment criteria (2019), the current status of P. stipuleanatus population in Ha Giang area is critically endangered (CR) - B2bcii, iii, etc.

Judging by the criteria of the IUCN Red list, 2019, the ginseng species of the genus Panax L. are classified as Endangered (EN) in the world. Comparison with the criteria of the Red Book, 2007 – The botanical section shows that ginseng species in Ha Giang are near threatened (NT), very rare (R) and lack of data (K).
In order to be able to conserve and sustainably develop this precious drug, the thematic group proposed the following solutions:
• Applying the model of conservation and propagation in forest gardens: Lam Binh forest (Tuyen Quang), Chieu lau thi area forest (Ha Giang);
• Encourage businesses and people to participate in conservation, on-site breeding and sustainable exploitation;
• Further research the medicinal value of P. stipuleanatus to contribute to enhancing the value of this precious drug;
• Propagate forest protection, protect habitats of medicinal plants of the genus Ginseng.
• The ability to seed, germinate and grow in Ha Giang area is there;, during the investigation, there are still regenerated trees, so the research team made some recommendations for species conservation such as: (1) Strictly manage regenerated trees, if human intervention is required, transfer young trees to breeding nurseries; (2) Build "original" gene sources in situ to maintain and preserve the development of gene resources in all 5 sub-populations in Ha Giang and 3 sub-populations in Tuyen Quang, and experiment with planting at the same altitude and climate belt.

The project has published 03 articles in domestic and foreign magazines. The project was accepted by the Council on May 22, 2023.

Translated by Phuong Ha
Link to Vietnamese version

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