、、。全(quan)球有(you)(you)900多種(zhong)(zhong),我國約140種(zhong)(zhong)。其中(zhong)印度洋、西太(tai)平洋海(hai)區(qu)(qu)是(shi)世界上海(hai)參(can)(can)(can)種(zhong)(zhong)類(lei)最多、資源量最大的區(qu)(qu)域。我國海(hai)參(can)(can)(can)分布在溫(wen)帶(dai)區(qu)(qu)和(he)(he)熱帶(dai)區(qu)(qu),溫(wen)帶(dai)區(qu)(qu)主(zhu)(zhu)要(yao)(yao)(yao)在黃渤海(hai)域,主(zhu)(zhu)要(yao)(yao)(yao)經濟(ji)品種(zhong)(zhong)是(shi)刺參(can)(can)(can),也是(shi)我國最為(wei)知名的海(hai)參(can)(can)(can)種(zhong)(zhong)類(lei),熱帶(dai)區(qu)(qu)主(zhu)(zhu)要(yao)(yao)(yao)在兩廣和(he)(he)海(hai)南(nan)沿海(hai),主(zhu)(zhu)要(yao)(yao)(yao)經濟(ji)品種(zhong)(zhong)有(you)(you)梅花(hua)參(can)(can)(can)等(deng)。其中(zhong)西沙群(qun)島、南(nan)沙群(qun)島和(he)(he)海(hai)南(nan)島是(shi)我國熱帶(dai)海(hai)參(can)(can)(can)的主(zhu)(zhu)要(yao)(yao)(yao)產(chan)地。海(hai)參(can)(can)(can)在各類(lei)山珍海(hai)味中(zhong)位尊“八珍”,還具多種(zhong)(zhong)中(zhong)醫特指的補益(yi)養生(sheng)功(gong)能。近半個(ge)世紀以來,國內外學(xue)者對40多種(zhong)(zhong)海(hai)參(can)(can)(can)化(hua)學(xue)成分的研究表明海(hai)參(can)(can)(can)體內不但富含(han)(han)氨(an)基酸、維生(sheng)素和(he)(he)化(hua)學(xue)元素等(deng)人體所(suo)需(xu)的50多種(zhong)(zhong)營(ying)養成分,還含(han)(han)有(you)(you)多種(zhong)(zhong)生(sheng)物(wu)活性(xing)物(wu)質如酸性(xing)粘多糖、皂苷和(he)(he)膠原蛋(dan)白(bai)等(deng),而且海(hai)參(can)(can)(can)活性(xing)物(wu)質的藥(yao)理活性(xing)十分廣泛。