• Journal of Ginseng Culture
• /
• v.6
• /
• pp.13-34
• /
• 2024

The abolishment of the red ginseng monopoly act by the Korean government in 1996 resulted in a drastic change in the Korean ginseng industry, leading to a significant increase in the market size and consumption of ginseng products. Red ginseng is most popular type, with approximately 74% of harvested fresh ginseng being processed into various red ginseng products. Since 1997, there has been a substantial increase in the cultivation of ginseng for production of red ginseng, which, in turn, has contributed to the proliferation of ginseng processing companies. To investigate the products of ginseng manufacturing businesses, we select 200 companies primarily engaged in ginseng processing or specializing solely in ginseng. Our survey on the status of ginseng industry covered 8 different categories. 1) Root ginseng: There were 66 companies involved in manufacturing red ginseng root, accounting for 33.0% of all surveyed companies. This was followed by black ginseng root with 36 companies (18.0%) and red ginseng fine roots with 22 companies (11%). 2) Red ginseng products: A total of 144 companies were involved in manufacturing red ginseng pouches, making it the most common product category. This was closely followed by 142 companies producing pure(100%) red ginseng extract concentrate. 3) Fermented red ginseng products: Companies producing fermented red ginseng extract concentrate products were the most numerous, totaling 26. Following this, companies producing fermented red ginseng stick and pouch products were next in line. 4) Ginseng products: There were 15 companies involved in the production of ginseng products, with the majority focusing on ginseng tea. 5) Black ginseng products: Companies producing black ginseng extract concentrate were the most numerous, with 31 companies, followed by 26 companies producing black ginseng extract pouches. 6) Taegeuk ginseng products: Only 5 companies were involved in the production of taegeuk ginseng products. 7) Fermented black ginseng, and 8) Ginseng berry products: These categories are manufactured by less than 5 companies each. However, the variety in ginseng berry products suggests the potential for future growth. In the 2000s, a trend emerged with the development of new processed products aimed at enhancing the functional components of red ginseng, and these products have captured the attention of consumers. However, this study primarily focuses on black ginseng, fermented red ginseng/fermented black ginseng, and ginseng berry products as they have exerted a significant influence on the overall ginseng industry.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.65-72
• /
• 2017

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain is characterized by persistent jaw pain associated with dysfunction and tenderness of the temporomandibular muscles and joints. The aim of this study was to investigate whether treatment with red or black ginseng extract helps in the modulation of inflammatory TMJ pain. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220~260 g were used. The experimental group was subdivided into 4 groups based on the treatment method (n=6, each group): formalin (5%, $30{\mu}l$), formalin after distilled water (vehicle), formalin after red or black ginseng extract (per oral, single or repeated, respectively). To induce TMJ pain, $30{\mu}l$ of formalin was injected into the articular cavity under ether inhalation anesthesia. The number of noxious behavioral responses of scratching the facial region proximal to the injection site was recorded for 9 successive 5-min intervals following formalin injection. Repeated treatment with red or black ginseng extract reduced the nociceptive responses in the second phase (11~45 min). Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an oxidative stress-mediated transcription factor. Both ginsengs significantly down-regulated the increased Nrf2 level compared to the vehicle group. In the test for liver and kidney functions, repeated treatment with red or black ginseng was not different compared to the vehicle group. These results indicate that red and black ginseng extract might be promising analgesic agents in the treatment of inflammatory TMJ pain.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.577-584
• /
• 2018

Background: Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is a widely used traditional herbal supplement that possesses various health-enhancing efficacies. Various ginseng products are available in market, especially in the Korean peninsula, in the form of drinks, tablets, and capsules. The different ginseng types include the traditional red ginseng extract (RGE), white ginseng, and black red ginseng extract (BRGE). Their fermented and enzyme-treated products are also available. Different treatment regimens alter the bioavailability of certain compounds present in the respective ginseng extracts. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to compare the antioxidant and immune-stimulating activities of RGE, BRGE, and fermented red ginseng extract (FRGE). Methods: We used an acetaminophen-induced oxidative stress model for investigating the reduction of oxidative stress by RGE, BRGE, and FRGE in Sprague Dawley rats. A cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression model was used to evaluate the immune-stimulating activities of these ginseng extracts in BALB/c mice. Results: Our results showed that most prominently, RGE (in almost all experiments) exhibited excellent antioxidant effects via increasing superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities in the liver and decreasing serum 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase levels compared with the groups treated with FRGE and BRGE. Moreover, RGE significantly increased the number of white blood cells, especially T and B lymphocytes, and antibody-forming cells in the spleen and thymus, and it also activated a number of immune cell subtypes. Conclusion: Taken together, these results indicate that RGE is the best supplement for consumption in everyday life for overall health-enhancing properties.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.38-45
• /
• 2024

To compare and analyze the improvement effects of white ginseng extract, red ginseng extract, and black ginseng extract on cognitive dysfunction and memory impairment caused by scopolamine in rats. In the cognitive behavioral test, the tendency of the SCOP+B group to overcome the escape time delay induced by scopolamine administration was observed, unlike the SCOP group. The frequency on plat form was significantly increased in the group treated with ginseng extracts compared to the SCOP group. As a result of measuring the duration time on goal quadrant, the time spent in the quadrant was significantly increased in the SCOP+B group compared to the SCOP group. In the hippocampus, the SCOP-treated group significantly decreased the activity of AChE compared to the normal group, but the ginseng extract-treated groups significantly increased it compared to the SCOP group. After sacrificing the rats after the behavioral test, the expression of PSD95 protein in the excised brain was significantly decreased in the SCOP group compared to normal, but it was observed that the SCOP+R and SCOP+B groups were significantly increased compared to the SCOP group. CREB1 protein expression was significantly increased in the SCOP+R group, and the expression of Cdk5 was significantly increased in the SCOP+B group. Ginseng extracts significantly restored the memory damaged by scopolamine suggesting that red ginseng increased the expression of CREB1 and PSD95 proteins, and black ginseng increased the protein expression of Cdk5 and PSD95 to induce memory recovery.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.421-428
• /
• 2011

This study evaluated cholineresterase inhibitory activity of Korean white ginseng extract (WGE), red ginseng extract (RGE), and black ginseng extract (BGE) and the cholinergic effect on scopolamine (SCOP)-induced amnesic mice. WGE, RGE, and BGE inhibited acetylcholineserase (AChE), as well as butyrylcholineserase (BuChE) in a concentration-dependent manner. BGE presented strong inhibition of AChE with an $IC_{50}$ value of 1.72 mg/mL, followed by WGE (5.89 mg/mL), RGE (6.30 mg/mL), respectively. The inhibitory activity of the three ginseng extracts on BuChE showed similar values among the groups. To better understand the mechanisms of the possible effect of ginseng extract on the cholinergic function, this study assessed the expression of the cholinergic markers of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and AChE using western blot and RT-PCR analysis in the brains of amnesic mice. Treatment with ginseng extracts led to inhibition of AChE expression and, the activation of ChAT expression in the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex of amnesic mice as induced by SCOP. The results suggest that ginseng extracts including BGE, appear to modulate the metabolism of acetylchoine (ACh), which would greatly increase synaptic ACh levels and most potently revert SCOP-induced amnesia.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.951-956
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study is to prepare black ginseng and evaluate its antitumor activity. In order to achieve such aim, 5 year fresh ginsenges were steamed at 95'E for 3 hr in pottery apparatus and dried at $60^{\circ}C$ for 12-36 hr. This process was repeated again nine times in same condition. Among the ginseng saponins in black ginseng, the amount of Ginsenoside $Rg_3$ was examined by HPLC. 10.05 mE of Ginsenoside $Rg_3$ was obtained from 1 g of dried black ginseng prepared. The extract of black ginseng exhibited stronger cytotoxic activity against MCF-1, HT-1080 and Hepa 1C1C7 tumor cell lines in vitro than the extract of red ginseng. Also, the extract of black ginseng exhibited stronger antitumor activity(33%) in BDFl mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma cells(LLC) than the extract of red ginseng(23%). From these results, it was concluded that Black ginseng had antitumor activity suggesting its application for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.655-662
• /
• 2016

Ginsenosides are major constituents of ginseng and are known to be responsible for its pharmacological properties. This study aimed to investigate the detoxification effect of a mixture containing black red ginseng powder, red ginseng extract, Puerariae radix extract, and Hovenia dulcis extract, on SD (Sprague Dawley) rats treated with 30% ethanol. Thirty minutes before treatment, the animals were orally administered different concentrations of the mixture or water. Results revealed that the concentration of ethanol in blood serum was significantly decreased in the black red ginseng mixture treated group in a dose-dependent manner, as compared with that of the control group. The blood level of acetaldehyde increased until 1 hr after alcohol administration, but the levels rapidly decreased later. Furthermore, ADH and ALDH activities in the hepatic tissue were also increased in the black red ginseng mixture administered group, than in the control group. These results indicate that the black red ginseng mixture has the ability of decomposing alcohol by increasing the ADH and ALDH activities responsible for alcohol metabolism.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.364-372
• /
• 2015

This study investigated the effects of fermented black raspberry (BR) and red ginseng (RG) extract co-treatment on lipid metabolism and obesity in rats fed with a high fat/high cholesterol diet (HFHCD) for 12 weeks. Compared to the corresponding values in rats fed with a HFHCD, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased whereas high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels increased in rats treated with fermented BR and RG extracts. These extracts significantly increased the expression of HMG-CoA reductase, LDL receptor, and sterol regulatory-element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) mRNA, but decreased the mRNA expression of SREBP-1. Additionally the serum levels of leptin and fatty acid synthase were decreased. Moreover, supplementation with fermented BR and RG effectively increased fecal cholesterol excretion. These results suggest that fermented BR and RG extracts might be effective at preventing hypercholesterolemia and obesity.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.159-166
• /
• 2015

We investigated the anti-obesity effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus C isolated from kimchi and red ginseng and black raspberry mixture fermented by this strain. Experimental samples were prepared with 10% skim milk, 1% red ginseng extract and 1% immature black raspberry powder and without red ginseng extract and black raspberry fermented by this strain at $37^{\circ}C$ for 24 hour. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (a normal diet group (N), a high-fat diet group (HF), a high fat diet with L. acidophilus C (C), and a high fat diet with fermented mixture (CEx)) and were orally administered daily for 6 weeks at concentration of 2,000 mg/kg body weight. The results showed that weight gain, weight of periepididymal fat and perirenal fat, adipocyte size, lipid accumulation in liver, serum glucose concentration, serum GOT and GPT concentration and serum leptin were decreased and concentration of HDL-cholesterol and serum adiponectin were increased compared to HF group. These results suggest that fermented mixture (CEx) might be helpful in improvement of high-fat diet-induced obesity than only L. acidophilus C intake.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.361-365
• /
• 2011

The objective of this study is to provide basic information for developing a high-value ginseng product using ginseng saponin and prosapogenin. In order to achieve the proposed objective ginsenoside compositions of Black (BG) and Red (RG) ginseng extract with 95% ethyl alcohol were examined by means of HPLC. The crude saponin and ginsenoside composition of processed ginseng products were analyzed and compared, with BG topping the list with a crude saponin content of 7.53%, followed by RG (5.29%). Ginseng prosapogenin (ginsenosides $Rg_2$, $Rg_3$, $Rg_5$, $Rg_6$, $Rh_1$, $Rh_4$, $Rk_1$, $Rk_3$, $F_1$ and $F_4$) in BG was found to be contained almost 2.6 times as much as that in RG. Ginsenosides $Rg_3$, $Rg_5$, $Rk_1$, $Rh_4$ and $F_4$ in BG in particular were found to be almost 3 times as much as those in RG. $Rg_6$ and $Rk_3$ in BG were also found to be almost 4 times as much as those in RG.