Araliaceae

The Araliaceae are a family of flowering plants composed of about 43 genera and around 1500 species consisting of primarily woody plants and some herbaceous plants. Panax ginseng (Meyer) and Panax notoginseng (Burkill), belonging to the family Araliaceae, are used worldwide as medicinal and functional herbs. However, based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, their applications clearly differ as ginseng reinforces vital energy and notoginseng promotes blood circulation. Their chemical comparisons indicate that ginseng contains more polysaccharides and amino acids, while notoginseng has more saponins, volatile oil, and polyacetylenes. Regarding pharmacological effects, ginseng exhibits better protective effects on cardiovascular disease, nerve disease, cancer, and diabetes mellitus, whereas notoginseng displays a superior protective effect on cerebrovascular disease.