Ginseng Biomacromolecules: Integrating Nutrition and Health, a New Direction in Phytomedicine

TL;DR

This review explores how ginseng's large molecules, like polysaccharides and proteins, can boost immunity, fight cancer, and improve health, offering new uses in medicine and food.

Contribution

The paper highlights the underutilized parts of ginseng and their biomacromolecules as potential natural alternatives to antibiotics and functional food ingredients.

Findings

Ginseng biomacromolecules show immune-regulating, antioxidant, and anti-tumor properties.

Parts like stems and leaves of ginseng contain effective components like polysaccharides and pectin.

These molecules can improve animal health by altering gut flora and replacing antibiotics.

Abstract

As a traditional dual-purpose ingredient for both medicine and food, the biomacromolecules in Panax ginseng include polysaccharides, pectin, exosomes, proteins and dietary fiber. Due to their unique chemical structures, physiological activities, and processing adaptability, these components have achieved diversified applications in the medical field, becoming one of the core raw materials for functional food development. Modern research shows that the biomacromolecules found in ginseng can regulate the body’s immunity, antioxidant and anti-tumor properties, as well as antibacterial properties and the ability to enhance the body’s metabolic capacity, demonstrating significant application potential in healthcare-related fields. Recent studies have found that in addition to the root, the stems, leaves, fruits and flowers of P. ginseng also contain various effective components such as ginseng polysaccharides and pectin, which have enhanced the utilization value of ginseng plant resources. Ginseng biomacromolecules can not only replace antibiotics but also improve the production performance of animals by influencing the structure of intestinal flora, providing raw materials for the selection and application of natural feed additives for animals. This review summarizes the latest research findings on the pharmacological properties and practical applications of ginseng-derived biomolecules. It primarily addresses the structural characteristics, pharmacological activities, and current applications in health and medicine of biomolecules such as ginseng polysaccharides, ginseng exosomes, ginseng proteins, and ginseng dietary fiber. It aims to provide a fresh perspective and a solid theoretical foundation for the in-depth development of ginseng in the fields of medicine and molecular biology.

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