Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma is a valuable medicine

which plays an important role in clinical treatment

including blood-activating

stasis-removing and improvement of myocardial ischemia

etc.Notoginseng saponins

one kind of dammarane-type tetracyclic triterpenoid saponins

are the main active ingredients in Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma

such as ginsenoside Rb1

Rg1 and R1.In this paper

the latest researches on biosynthesis and molecular regulation mechanism of notoginseng saponins were analyzed and summarized.Based on the research results of other plants

dammarane-type tetracyclic triterpenoid saponins are synthesized by the acetic acid/mevalonic acid pathway

including synthesis of isopentenyl pyrophosphate and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate

synthesis

hydroxylation and other processes of 2

3-oxidosqualene.The key synthetases

squalene synthase

farnesyl pyrophaophate synthase

squalene epoxidase and others are involved;the roles

expression characteristics

homology of amino acid sequence from organisms and the effect on accumulation of saponins of key synthetases were analyzed.Besides

the response of notoginseng saponins to environmental factors were also generalized;the results showed that the relationship of them was complex

but content of notoginseng saponins was positively correlated with each factor under certain range or specific factor stimulation.At present

relevant researches mainly focus on expression characteristics of independent key enzyme genes and their response to external factors

the regulation of specific catalytic processes

structural modifications and transcription levels is still in the primary stage

which lacks systematic and complete cognition.