PURPOSE:To obtain a large amount of the titled product containing a saponin similar to naturally occurring one in a short time, by subjecting callus, root, etc., obtained from live tissue of Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino to tissue culture, separating and drying the callus or the root. CONSTITUTION:Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino is washed with water sufficiently, separated into leaves, stem, and roots, etc., cut roughly, sterilized with 70wt% ethanol, further sterilized with a disinfectant (e.g., solution of chloride of lime, etc.), washed well with sterilizing water, cut sterly into a size of preferably 0.5-1cm, it is placed on a medium (e.g., agar medium containing saccharide, etc.) for plant tissue culture, and made into callus at 23-28 deg.C for 1-4 weeks at a dark place. The callus or the cut pieces of the tissue is redifferentiated in a medium containing an auxin (e.g., 2,4-D, etc.) to germinate a root. The callus or the root is subjected to solid culture preferably at 23-30 deg.C at starting pH of 5.5-6.0 and then 4.0-7.5pH, separated by filtration, etc., washed, dried and ground, to give the aimed culture substance.
