Ginseng is a precious traditional Chinese herb, with ginsenoside as the effective chemical component. Currently, more than
40 monomer components have been extracted from ginseng, including 20(R)-ginsenoside Rg3, a key component which has been studied
for only 20+ years but widely valued with respect to the antineoplastic functions. In 1980, Isao Kitagawa, a Japanese natural
medicinal chemist, extracted and prepared the 20(R) - ginsenoside Rg3 from the ginseng for the first time, with the molecular
formula defined. In 1993, based on the experiments, Isao Kitagawa was aware of the ginsenoside Rg3's selective inhibition on the
infiltration and metastasis of tumor cells. Later on, the scholars of Japan, China, Korea, German, USA and other nations have proven the function of ginsenoside Rg3 by virtue of a great deal of researches. The content of 20(R) - ginsenoside Rg3 in the red ginseng (which is prepared by processing the cultivated ginseng after drying the cultivated ginseng in the sun or by stoving and then) is 3 over 100,000. Therefore, it is too sophisticated and costly to extract and prepare the 20(R) - ginsenoside Rg3 in a mass-production manner. Now, the overseas experiments are all stuck in the column chromatography preparation stage of such component.
Dr. Fu Li and Dr. Lu Qi of Dalian Tianfu Science & Technology Development Co., Ltd., by more than 1,000 experiments in 5 years, have created a special process under the name of "biological enzyme extraction and conversion technology", which increases the Rg3 contents by 410 times, the Rg3 yield by 270 times and the purity of more than 95% and further realizes the industrial production of Rg3. Such technology has been a lead-edge technology in the world. Afterwards, Dr. Fu Li and Dr. Lu Qi invited the most leading experts of China to analyze the pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacokinetics of Rg3 and conduct the related phase I-III clinical experimental studies as well. Finally, Rg3 capsula also named as the "Shenyi Capsule" went on sale in 2000 upon the acquisition of SZH New Drug Certificate of Traditional Chinese Medicine and documents of approval for production issued by the State Drug Administration. In 2003, it successfully turned from the trial drug into formal drug, which have been then subject to official production and marketing. In view of the experts, Shenyi Capsule is the first new drug of Class I monome of Chinese herb subject to independent development and intellectual property rights, following the successful development of artemisinin in 1980s as the first Class I new drug. The birth of Shenyi Capsule represents the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine and the key breakthrough of traditional Chinese medicine in the field of anticancer. By virtue of the clear structure, targeted functional mechanism and reliable quality, Shenyi Capsule is likely to step into the international market.
