Progress in Research on Polysaccharides from American Ginseng

American ginseng(Panax quinquefolium L.) belongs to the genus Panax of the family araliaceae. Because of its special properties and a number of pharmacological functions, it is widely accepted in the world. Polysaccharides from American ginseng play an important role in immunoregulatory and anti-tumor effects. This paper reviews the recent progress made in the research of American ginseng polysaccharides, including extraction, isolation, purifi cation, identifi cation and bioactivity.