Many peptide constituents were separated from the boiling water extract of Panax notoginseng by extraction, anion and cation ion exchange resin separation and RP-HPLC separation methods. Peptide components were predicted to be existed in the boiling water extract by comparison of the composition and content of free amino acid and that after hydrolysis. YN-3H12 obtained from the boiling water extract of Panax notoginseng was identified as reduced glutathione by amino acid analysis, two dimentional chromatogram of polyacrylamide film, C-terminal analysis by carboxypeptidase digestion and mass chromatography analysis, The compound YN-3H11 was determined as adenine by analysis of its 1^H-, 13^C-NMR, MS spectra and by comparison with an authentic sample. This experiment provided an effective method to study the water-soluble peptide compounds and other bioactive components in the plants.

Key words: PANAX PSEUDOGINSENG VAR. NOTOGINSENG, GLUTATHIONE, ADENINE, SEPARATION, HIGH SPEED LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY