Research And Development Of The Aerial Part Of Panax Notoginseng As New Resource Food

The aerial part of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen (Araliaceae) is namely the dry stems and leaves and flowers which is mainly produced in Yunnan Province. Recent pharmacological researches show that the stems and leaves of Panax notoginseng have some pharmacological effects, such as tranquilizing and allaying excitement, improving digestion, diminishing inflammation, activating blood circulation to dissipate stasis, resisting fatigue, detumescence and promoting granulation, antiatheroscloresis, abirritation and so on. The flowers of it have some other pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammation, anti-hypertension, antiarrhythmia, anti-aging, clearing and nourishing throat, tranquillizing and calming, protecting liver and so on. The locals have the habits that make tea or saute meat with the stems and leaves and the flowers of Panax notoginseng which are used to entertain guests. These habits can be traced back to 400 years ago. In recent years, the stems and leaves and the flowers of Panax notoginseng have been used as raw material by some manufacturing enterprises to produce some kinds of food, beverages, cosmetics and health food. The root of Panax notoginseng is used as a traditional medicine, but there are some researches in limited quantities about the comprehensive utilization of the aerial part of Panax notoginseng, For example, the production of its stems and leaves has reached 20 million kg, but there is only 5 percent of the stems and leaves which are used and the rest are all discarded. According to the food hygiene law of the People’s Republic of China which is newly implemented, it’s illegal to eat the aerial part of Panax notoginseng any more. As a result of it, the sales and the further development of them are severely limited. In order to protect their edible characteristic by law and make the resources be fully reasonable utilized, we should research and develop the aerial part of Panax notoginseng as new food raw materials. Therefore, in accordance with the reporting requirements of the new food raw materials, we will research and develope the aerial part of Panax notoginseng.The contents of research and development of the aerial part of Panax notoginseng as new food raw materials are as follows:1. The research of nutritional components in the aerial part of Panax notoginseng including the content determination and analysis of general nutrient contents, mineral elements, amino acids and vitamins. The results show that there are rich nutrients in the aerial part of Panax notoginseng. High protein content is the characteristic, and the average content are 13.03%and 21.91%respectively in the stems and leaves and flowers. The contents of mineral elements such as zinc, manganese, iron, magnesium and calcium, and their contents are 31.99-328.78,102.58-431.18,126.06-832.80,2410-3880 and 9350-16950 mg·kg-1 in the stems and leaves and 30.03-50.44,62.56-101.11, 79.42-111.19,1980-3450,3260-5480 mg·kg-1 in the flowers. Both of them contain seven essential amino acids, the total number is 2.79%in the stems and leaves and 4.62%in the flowers. In the determination of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins, the kinds of vitamins are not all the same in the two parts. In the determination of 10 water-soluble vitamins, there are 4 kinds determined including vitamin C, niacinamide, folic acid and biotin in the stems and leaves and vitamin C, niacinamide, vitamin B5 and folic acid. In the determination of 5 fat-soluble vitamins, only vitamin K1 is determined in the two parts.2. The research of chemical compositions in the aerial part of Panax notoginseng including the content determination and analysis of total saponins, monomer saponin, monomer protein molecule flavonoids and fatty acids. As a result, the contents of total saponins in the stems and leaves is 8.53%, and in the flowers is 15.63%; the average content of flavonoids in the stems and leaves is 1.77%and in the flowers is 1.58%; in the determination of monomer saponins, the existence of Rc is used to distinguish between the two parts, and the content is 1.36%in the stems and leaves and 1.62%in the flowers; the content of every monomer protein trends to be nearly identical in the two parts; the contents of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids are compared, and unsaturated fatty acids are the main components in the two parts3. The research of anti-nutritional factors in the aerial part of Panax notoginseng including the qualitative experiment and the content determination of of trypsin inhibitors, lectin, polyphenolic compounds, phytic acids and non-starch polysaccharides. The activity of bovine trypsin is inhibited by the the aerial part of Panax notoginseng, and it prove that there are trypsin inhibitors in the two parts; the crude extract of lectins has the agglutinating activity in the two parts; in the determination of the 3 polyphenolics compounds, quercetin and gallic acid are determinated in the stems and leaves and their average content are 0.16%and 0.02%respectively. Just quercet is determinated in the flowers and the content is 0.16%; the contents of phytic acids in the stems and leaves is 3.03%and in the flowers is 3.69%; the contents of non-starch polysaccharides in the stems and leaves is37.95%and in the flowers is 20.59%. Although the 5 anti-nutritional factors are all detected in the two parts, we have researched the qualitative experiment and the content determination of them. As a result, the two parts are eligible for eating.4. The research of the index of hygienics in the aerial part of Panax notoginseng including the content determination and analysis of pesticide residues and heavy metals. As a result, the contents of pesticide residues and heavy metals are complied with the domestic and foreign food quality standards.5. Formulate food quality standards for the aerial part of Panax notoginseng including the stems and leaves and the flowers.In accordance with the reporting requirements of the new food raw materials, we have researched and developed the aerial part of Panax notoginseng. The results provide scientific basis for the food quality standards of the aerial part of Panax notoginseng.