Phytochemical analysis of Panax species: A review

Abstract Panax species obtain numerous attentions due to various biological effects on cardiovascular, kidney, reproductive disease for a long history. Recently, advanced analytical methods include thin layer chromatography, high performance thin layer chromatography, gas chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem with ultraviolet, diode array detector, evaporative light scattering detector and mass detector, two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography, high speed counter-current chromatography and high speed centrifugal partition chromatography, micellar electrokinetic chromatography, high performance anion-exchange chromatography, ambient ionization mass spectrometry, molecularly imprinted polymer, enzyme immunoassay, 1H-NMR and infrared spectroscopy have been used to identify and evaluate chemical constituents in Panax species. Moreover, Soxhlet extraction, heat reflux extraction, ultrasonic extraction, solid phase extraction, microwave assisted extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, enzyme assisted extraction, acceleration solvent extraction, matrix solid phase dispersion extraction, pulsed electric field are discussed as well. In this review, a total of 219 articles published from 1980 to 2018 are investigated. Panax include P. notoginseng, P. quinquefolium, P. ginseng in the raw and processed, species, parts, geographical origins and growing times are studied. Furthermore, the potential biomarkers are screened though the previous articles. It is expected that the review can provide a fundamental for the further studies.