In relation to cultivation, as A. konjac is characterised by the perennial life cycle of the mother corm and the parallel growth of offsets harvested off the main rootstock, more rigorous studies of harvesting, separating and cultivation of these two types of plant materials are required. Further investigation of growing conditions and traditional cultural practices through establishment of international collaborations may offer useful information for the improvement of KGM production. Evaluation of konjac cultivars and the identification of disease tolerance genes through DNA based molecular marker techniques may also be useful in solving disease problems in this crop, thereby assuring a higher remuneration to farmer. From an ethopharmacological perspective, it would also be interesting to investigate the biochemical basis of the TCM uses of konjac excluding the use of the purified KGM. These activities are most likely due to serotonin and its derivatives found in ‘fresh’ corm tissue. Further studies in the isolation, purification and structural characterisation of these compounds, that have been removed as impurities during the extraction and purification ofKGMmayresult in the future development of konjac-derived phytomedicines. Such studies would involve chemical fingerprints produced from analyses
of konjac corm extracts via techniques including thin layer chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, gas
chromatography, mass spectrometry and ultraviolet/visible spectrometry, used alone or in combination as reviewed in the general approaches on quality control of Chinese medicinal materials (Chan, 2005). To conclude, the evidence presented in this review has demonstrated that KGM has the potential to contribute to better healthcare in both developed and developing countries, provided the efficacy, quality and safety of the products derived from KGM are assured. As a TCM, development of further ethnopharmacological research on konjac via modern technologies is essential. In view of the increasing demand forKGMin the food industry and the multitude of promising pharmacological findings described previously, further research onA. konjac andKGMwould not only providemuch needed knowledge on this important species, but would also be of considerable socio-economic impact.