• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.475-481
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• 2019

Background: The ginsenoside Rg1 has been shown to exert various pharmacological activities with health benefits. Previously, we have reported that Rg1 promoted myogenic differentiation and myotube growth in C2C12 myoblasts. In this study, the in vivo effect of Rg1 on fiber-type composition and oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle was examined. Methods: To examine the effect of Rg1 on skeletal muscle, 3-month-old mice were treated with Rg1 for 5 weeks. To assess muscle strength, grip strength tests were performed, and the lower hind limb muscles were harvested, followed by various detailed analysis, such as histological staining, immunoblotting, immunostaining, and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. In addition, to verify the in vivo data, primary myoblasts isolated from mice were treated with Rg1, and the Rg1 effect on myotube growth was examined by immunoblotting and immunostaining analysis. Results: Rg1 treatment increased the expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms characteristic for both oxidative and glycolytic muscle fibers; increased myofiber sizes were accompanied by enhanced muscle strength. Rg1 treatment also enhanced oxidative muscle metabolism with elevated oxidative phosphorylation proteins. Furthermore, Rg1-treated muscles exhibited increased levels of anabolic S6 kinase signaling. Conclusion: Rg1 improves muscle functionality via enhancing muscle gene expression and oxidative muscle metabolism in mice.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2009

This study evaluates changes in the chemical composition and bioactivities of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) processed by boiling in water, $75^{\circ}C$ for 10, 20, 30, and 40 min, and autoclaving at high temperatures, $115^{\circ}C$ for 30 and 60 min and $130^{\circ}C$ for 90 and 120 min. Total ginsenoside contents of boiled ginseng remained relatively unchanged, whereas the contents of autoclaved ginseng samples significantly decreased with an increase of both time and temperature. Compared to unheated ginseng (control), the color of both boiled and autoclaved ginseng decreased in lightness and increased in redness. The acidic polysaccharide contents, the total phenolic contents and the antioxidant capacity of boiled and autoclaved ginseng were higher than the untreated ginseng, with the highest values being exhibited by the autoclaved samples. In particular, the antioxidant capacity of unheated ginseng increased about 2.5 times ($285.7{\pm}14.03\;mg$/100g to $777.2{\pm}26.4\;mg$/100g) when ginseng was autoclaved at $130^{\circ}C$ for 120 min as compared to the control. It was concluded that as American ginseng was processed at a high temperature, especially steam-heated in an autoclave, its chemical constituents changed and, in particular, acidic polysaccharides, total phenolics and antioxidant capacity were considerably increased.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.1087-1094
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was investigated hypoglycemic effects of fermented red ginseng extracts. We prepared non-fermented red ginseng extracts(R), fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum(RL) extracts, Saccharomycescerevisiae(RS) extracts, and L. plantarum mixed S. cerevisiae(RLS) extracts, examined composition of ginsenosides, SOD-like activity, and $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Ginsenoside Re was highest contents in all extracts, second was ginsenoside Rc and then ginsenoside Rb1. Concentration of these ginsenoside was showed higher in RS than in other extracts. SOD-like activity and $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activity were shown higher in fermented red ginseng extracts than non fermented extracts. And activities of mixed fermentation extracts(RLS) higher than single fermentation extracts(RL, RS). Effects of blood glucose level, serum lipid profile and metabolic variables were evaluated in streptozotocin(STZ) induced diabetic rat. Experimental group was divided into 7 groups: normal control group(hereafter NC group), diabetes control group(DC group), positive control group treated with 50 mg/kg body weight of acarbose(PC group), treated with 300 mg/kg body weight of R, RL, RS and RLS extracts groups, respectively. Blood glucose level of DC group was maintained high level in all experimental period, but treated with red ginseng extracts groups was reduced the glucose level by R group 18.00%, RL group 28.07%, RS group 29.03%, RLS group 42.42%, respectively. The concentration of total cholesterol and triglyceride of fermented red ginseng extracts treated groups (RL, RS, RLS) was lower than non- fermented extracts group(R) DC and PC groups. The activity of ALT, AST in RLS treated groups were lower than other groups.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2008

To find up using of more efficient white ginseng, white ginseng was dried on various temperature (70, 80, 90,100, 110, 120, 130 and $140^{\circ}C$) with far-infrared drier and analyzed the composition of ginsenoside, carbohydrate, organic acid content and color. The type of ginseng shape was sliced and dried main and fine root, separately. As heating temperature increased, total ginsenoside content increased on main root, its content was the highest at $130^{\circ}C$, while decreased on fine root. Soluble carbohydrate content was the highest at $70^{\circ}C$ both on main and fine root. Increase of Re, Rc and Rb2 content was increased more high at $130^{\circ}C$, especially. But on fine root, content of Rg1, Rg3, Rf and Rb3 was increased and Re, Rc,Rb1 and Rb2 were decreased by the increased of temperature. As heating temperature increased, lightness of both main and fine root were decreased. Redness and yellowness of both main and fine root was increased to $120^{\circ}C$ and $100^{\circ}C$, respectively and decreased over this temperature.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.277-283
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• 2016

Background: The photosynthetic efficiency cool-season, semi-shade ginseng is normal at low morning temperatures, but drops at high afternoon temperatures. Therefore, optimal plant performance would be ensured if it were possible to control daily light transmission rates (LTR). Methods and Results: Plants were grown in a controlled light environment that replicated 11 AM conditions and comparatively analyzed against plant grown under normal conditions. Growth in the controlled light environment resulted in a 2.81 fold increase in photosynthetic efficiency with no change in chlorophyll content, although LTR were high due to low morning temperatures. Increased aerial plant growth was observed in the ginseng plants adapted to the controlled light environment, which in turn influenced root weight. An 81% increase in fresh root weight (33.3 g per plant on average) was observed in 4-year-old ginseng plants grown in controlled light environment compared to the plants grown following conventional practices (18.4 g per plant on average). With regard to the inorganic composition of leaves of 4-year-old ginseng plants grown in controlled light environment, an increased in Fe content was observed, while Mn and Zn content decreased, and total ginsenoside content of roots increased 2.37 fold. Conclusions: Growth of ginseng under a favorable light environment, such as the condition which exist naturally at 11 AM and are suitable for the plant's photosynthetic activity creates the possibility of large scale production, excellent-quality ginseng.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.475-480
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• 2010

In this study, the ginsenoside contents and anti-inflammatory effects of white ginseng (WG) and puffed red ginseng (PRG) were compared. The contents of Rb1, Rg5 and Rk1 were significantly higher in PRG than in WG, whereas the contents of Rg1 and Rb2 were decreased in PRG. The levels of NO production and iNOS expression were suppressed in LPS-stimulated cells by treatment with WG and PRG. Further, the production of cytokines (TNF-$\alpha$ and INF-$\gamma$) and inflammatory proteins (NF-${\kappa}B$ and COX-2) was decreased in cells upon treatment with any of the ginsenosides. The high NO inhibitory activity and cytokine production of PRG is caused by differences in the composition of ginsenosides produced.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2016

Background: The roots of Panax ginseng contain noble tetracyclic triterpenoid saponins derived from dammarenediol-II. Dammarene-type ginsenosides are classified into the protopanaxadiol (PPD) and protopanaxatriol (PPT) groups based on their triterpene aglycone structures. Two cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes (CYP716A47 and CYP716A53v2) are critical for the production of PPD and PPT aglycones, respectively. CYP716A53v2 is a protopanaxadiol 6-hydroxylase that catalyzes PPT production from PPD in P. ginseng. Methods: We constructed transgenic P. ginseng lines overexpressing or silencing (via RNA interference) the CYP716A53v2 gene and analyzed changes in their ginsenoside profiles. Result: Overexpression of CYP716A53v2 led to increased accumulation of CYP716A53v2 mRNA in all transgenic roots compared to nontransgenic roots. Conversely, silencing of CYP716A53v2 mRNA in RNAi transgenic roots resulted in reduced CYP716A53v2 transcription. HPLC analysis revealed that transgenic roots overexpressing CYP716A53v2 contained higher levels of PPT-group ginsenosides ($Rg_1$, Re, and Rf) but lower levels of PPD-group ginsenosides (Rb1, Rc, $Rb_2$, and Rd). By contrast, RNAi transgenic roots contained lower levels of PPT-group compounds and higher levels of PPD-group compounds. Conclusion: The production of PPD- and PPT-group ginsenosides can be altered by changing the expression of CYP716A53v2 in transgenic P. ginseng. The biological activities of PPD-group ginsenosides are known to differ from those of the PPT group. Thus, increasing or decreasing the levels of PPT-group ginsenosides in transgenic P. ginseng may yield new medicinal uses for transgenic P. ginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.379-385
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• 2017

In this study, white ginseng was used as the raw material, which was fermented with Paecilomyces hepiali through solid culture medium, to produce ginsenosides with modified chemical composition. The characteristic chemical markers of the products thus produced were investigated using rapid resolution liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RRLC-QTOF-MS). Chemical profiling data were obtained, which were then subjected to multivariate statistical analysis for the systematic comparison of active ingredients in white ginseng and fermented ginseng to understand the beneficial properties of ginsenoside metabolites. In addition, the effects of these components on biological activity were investigated to understand the improvements in the phagocytic function of macrophages in zebrafish. According to the established RRLC-QTOF-MS chemical profiling, the contents in ginsenosides of high molecular weight, especially malonylated protopanaxadiol ginsenosides, were slightly reduced due to the fermentation, which were hydrolyzed into rare and minor ginsenosides. Moreover, the facilitation of macrophage phagocytic function in zebrafish following treatment with different ginseng extracts confirmed that the fermented ginseng is superior to white ginseng. Our results prove that there is a profound change in chemical constituents of ginsenosides during the fermentation process, which has a significant effect on the biological activity of these compounds.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.274-278
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• 2015

Background: Steaming of ginseng is known to change its chemical composition and biological activity. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of different steaming time-scales on chemical constituents and antiproliferative activity of Vietnamese ginseng (VG). Methods: VG was steamed at $105^{\circ}C$ for 2-20 h. Its saponin constituents and antiproliferative activity were studied. The similarity of chemical compositions between steamed samples at $105^{\circ}C$ and $120^{\circ}C$ were compared. Results: Most protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol ginsenosides lost the sugar moiety at the C-20 position with 10-14 h steaming at $105^{\circ}C$ and changed to their less polar analogues. However, ocotillol (OCT) ginsenosides were reasonably stable to steaming process. Antiproliferative activity against A549 lung cancer cells was increased on steaming and reached its plateau after 12 h steaming. Conclusion: Steaming VG at $105^{\circ}C$ showed a similar tendency of chemical degradation to the steaming VG at $120^{\circ}C$ except the slower rate of reaction. Its rate was about one-third of the steaming at $120^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.606-617
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• 2019

Background: The Panax ginseng berry extract (GBE) is well known to have an antidiabetic effect. The aim of this study is to evaluate and investigate the protective effect of ultrasonication-processed P. ginseng berry extract (UGBE) compared with GBE on liver fibrosis induced by mild bile duct ligation (MBDL) model in rats. After ultrasonication process, the composition ratio of ginsenoside in GBE was changed. The component ratio of ginsenosides Rh1, Rh4, Rg2, Rg3, Rk1, Rk3, and F4 in the extract was elevated. Methods: In this study, the protective effect of the newly developed UGBE was evaluated on hepatotoxicity and neuronal damage in MBDL model. Silymarin (150 mg/kg) was used for positive control. UGBE (100 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg), GBE (250 mg/kg), and silymarin (150 mg/kg) were orally administered for 6 weeks after MBDL surgery. Results: The MBDL surgery induced severe hepatotoxicity that leads to liver inflammation in rats. Also, the serum ammonia level was increased by MBDL surgery. However, the liver dysfunction of MBDL surgery-operated rats was attenuated by UGBE treatment via myeloid differentiation factor 88-dependent Toll-like receptor 4 signaling pathways. Conclusion: UGBE has a protective effect on liver fibrosis induced by MBDL in rats through inhibition of the TLR4 signaling pathway in liver.