Isolation and Hypoglycaemic Activity of Panaxans A, B, C, D and E, Glycans ofPanax ginsengRoots1

An aqueous methanol/water extract of the Oriental crude drug “ninjin” (ginseng), Panax ginseng roots from Korea, showed a remarkable hypoglycaemic activity on administration to mice. Fractionation of the extract, along with the pharmacological assays, led to isolation of five glycans, panaxans A, B, C, D and E. These constituents exhibited significant hypoglycaemic actions in normal and alloxan-induced hyperglycaemic mice.