Current Research Trends on Improvement of Balloon Flower Production and Processing

Balloon flower (BF, Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A.DC.) is a monotypic species of the bellflower family (Campanulaceae), which is native to Asia. In terms of popular culture of east asian country, BF has been in the limelight as flowers, medicine and food. Platycosides (saponins) from the roots of BF are reported to have a wide range of efficacy and characterized by a structure containing a triterpenoid aglycone and two sugar chains. Saponins from BF are of pharmaceutical significance, and their applications are increasing with evidence of their efficacy. As the cultivation area of BF is continually increased in Korea, research for preventing root rot incidence and nitogen fertilizer application on yield of saponin are reported and also storaging, steam heating and bio-transformational method are developed. There are several biological effects of compounds from BF. saponin from BF has cholesterol lowering effects, neuroprotective activity, cytotoxic effects against cancer cells, and polysaccharide has immuno-boosting effects and pheolic compounds from aerial part of BF has anti-oxidative effects. However, The purchase decision factor of consumers in market is cultivate year of BF and producing country are also important as contents of platycodins in BF. This paper reviews the origin of plants, harvest and post harvest processing methods that maximize the value in terms of efficacy of extracts and platicoside from BF.