• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.10
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• pp.551-556
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• 2023

Ginsenosides, among the most active components of ginseng, exhibit several therapeutic effects against cancer, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-osteoporotic activity of ginsenoside Rg2, a major ginsenoside, has not been clearly elucidated. This study aimed to determine the effects of ginsenoside Rg2 on receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast formation. Results indicate that ginsenoside Rg2 inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation of bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) without cytotoxicity. Pretreatment with ginsenoside Rg2 significantly reduced the RANKL-induced gene expression of c-fos and nuclear factor of activated T-cells (Nfatc1), as well as osteoclast-specific markers tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP, Acp5) and osteoclast-associated receptor (Oscar). Moreover, RANKL-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) was decreased by ginsenoside Rg2 in BMM. Therefore, we suggest that ginsenoside Rg2 suppresses RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation through the regulation of MAPK signaling-mediated osteoclast markers and could be developed as a therapeutic drug for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.300-303
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• 2016

The result of USRG-12 indicated that ultrasonication-processed ($100^{\circ}C$, 12 h) red ginseng extracts had the highest amount of ginsenosides Rg3 (0.803%), Rg5 (0.167%), and Rk1 (0.175%).

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2004

When ginseng water extract was incubated at $60^{\circ}C$ in acidic conditions, its protopanaxadiol ginsenosides were transformed to ginsenoside $Rg_3$ and ${\Delta}^{20}$-ginsenoside $Rg_3$. However, protopanaxadiol glycoside ginsenosides $Rb_1, Rb_2$ and Rc isolated from ginseng were mostly not transformed to ginsenoside $Rg_3$ by the incubation in neutral condition. The transformation of these ginsenosides to ginsenoside $Rg_3$ and ${\Delta}^{20}$-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ was increased by increasing incubation temperature and time in acidic condition: the optimal incubation time and temperature for this transformation was 5 h and $60^{\circ}C$ resepectively. The transformed ginsenoside $Rg_3$ and ${\Delta}^{20}$-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ were metabolized to ginsenoside $Rh_2$ and $\Delta^{20}$--ginsenoside $Rh_2$, respectively, by human fecal microflora. Among the bacteria isolated from human fecal microflora, Bacteroides sp., and Bifidobacterium sp. and Fusobacterium sp. potently transformed ginsenoside $Rg_3$ to ginsenoside $Rh_2$. Acid-treated ginseng (AG) extract, fermented AG extract, ginsenoside $Rh_2$ and protopanaxadiol showed potent cytotoxicity against tumor cell lines. AG extract, fermented AG extract and protopanaxadiol potently inhibited the growth of Helicobacter pylori.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to develop a new preparation process of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) extract featuring high concentration of ginsenoside $Rg_3$, $Rg_5$, and $Rk_1$, Red ginseng special components. Chemical transformation from ginseng saponin glycosides to prosapogenin was analyzed by the HPLC. Extracts of American ginseng were processed under several treatment conditions of microwave and vinegar (about 14% acidity). The results showed that the quantity of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ increased by over 0.9% at the 20 minutes of the pH 2~4 vinegar and microwave American ginseng ethanol extract compared with other process times. The result of MAG-20 indicates that the American ginseng microwave and vinegar-processed American ginseng extracts (about 14% acidity) treated for 20 minutes produced the highest amount of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ (0.969%), $Rg_5$ (1.071%), and $Rk_1$ (0.247%). Besides, MAG-15 indicates that the microwave - and vinegar-processed American ginseng extracts (about 14% acidity) treated for 15 minutes produced the highest amount of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ (0.772%), $Rg_5$ (1.330%), and $Rk_1$ (0.386%). This indicates that American ginseng treated with microwave and vinegar had the quantity of the ginsenoside $Rg_3$ over 32 times the amount of the ginsenoside $Rg_3$ (which was not found in raw and American ginsengs) in the average commercial Red ginseng.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to develop a new preparation process of ginseng extracts having high concentrations of ginsenoside $Rg_3$, $Rg_5$ and $Rk_1$, a special component of Red ginseng. Chemical transformation from ginseng saponin glycosides to prosapogenin was analyzed by the HPLC. Extracts of White ginseng (Panax ginseng) and Fine White ginseng were processed under several treatment conditions including microwave and vinegar (about 14% acidity) treatments. Results of those treatments showed that the quantity of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ increased by over 0.6% at 4 minutes of pH 2~4 vinegar and microwave treatments. The results of processing with MWG-4 indicate that the Microwave and vinegar processed white ginseng extracts (about 14% acidity) that had gone through 4-minute treatments were found to contain the largest amount of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ (0.626%), $Rg_5$ (0.514%) and $Rk_1$ (0.220%). Results of treatments with MFWG-5 showed that the Fine White ginseng extracts that had been processed with microwave and vinegar (about 14% acidity) for 5 minutes were found to contain the largest amount of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ (4.484%), $Rg_5$ (3.192%) and $Rk_1$ (1.684%). It is thought that such results provide basic information in preparing White ginseng and Fine White ginseng extracts with functionality enhanced.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 2010

Red ginseng tail roots (9.8 g water/100 g sample) were puffed at 7, 8, 9, and 10 $kg_{f}/cm^{2}$ using a rotational puffing gun. Puffed red ginseng was extracted with 70% ethanol, and the concentrated extract was successively partitioned with diethyl ether, n-butanol and $H_{2}O$. Two unknown ginsenosides from puffed red ginseng were found at 63 and 65 min of retention time in HPLC chromatogram suggesting that chemical structure of some ginsenosides might be altered during the puffing process. Identification of two unknown compounds was carried out using TLC, HPLC and NMR. Two major compounds were isolated from TLC. According to TLC result, compound I was expected to be the mixture of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5, and compound II was expected to be a 20(S)-ginsenoside $Rg_{3}$. Three compounds were isolated from n-butanol fraction through repeated silica gel and octadecyl silica gel column chromatographies. From the result of $^{1}H$- and $^{13}C$-NMR data, the chemical structures of unknown compounds were determined as ginsenoside $Rg_{5}$ and 20(S)-ginsenoside $Rg_{3}$. Unfortunately, ginsenoside $Rk_{1}$ could not be separated from ginsenoside-$Rg_{5}$ in the compound I. It was carefully reexamined using HPLC and confirmed that the last unknown compound was ginsenoside-$Rk_{1}$.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.490-495
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• 2020

Background: Ginsenoside Rk1, a saponin component isolated from heat-processed Panax ginseng Meyer, has been implicated in the regulation of antitumor and anti-inflammatory activities. Although our previous studies have demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg3 significantly attenuated the activation of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) in hippocampal neurons, the effects of ginsenosides Rg5 and Rk1, which are derived from heat-mediated dehydration of ginsenoside Rg3, on neuronal NMDARs have not yet been elucidated. Methods: We examined the regulation of NMDARs by ginsenosides Rg5 and Rk1 in cultured rat hippocampal neurons using fura-2-based calcium imaging and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Results: The results from our investigation showed that ginsenosides Rg3 and Rg5 inhibited NMDARs with similar potencies. However, ginsenoside Rk1 inhibited NMDARs most effectively among the five compounds (Rg3, Rg5, Rk1, Rg5/Rk1 mixture, and protopanaxadiol) tested in cultured hippocampal neurons. Its inhibition is independent of the NMDA- and glycine-binding sites, and its action seems to involve in an interaction with the polyamine-binding site of the NMDAR channel complex. Conclusion: Taken together, our results suggest that ginsenoside Rk1 might be a novel component contributable to the development of ginseng-based therapeutic treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.349-355
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• 2018

Ginsenoside Rg5, one of the protopanaxadiol ginsenosides of wood-cultivated ginseng, has been implicated in various diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and hypertension; however, its angiogenic activity and molecular mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. Here, we found that wood-cultivated ginseng extract and ginsenoside Rg5 increase in vitro proliferation, migration, and tube-like structure formation, which are typical phenomena associated with angiogenesis, in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Moreover, Ginsenoside Rg5 stimulated the phosphorylation of Akt, endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS), and extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, which are well-known signal mediators of the angiogenic pathway. Furthermore, Ginsenoside Rg5 did not accelerate the activation of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 which are inflammatory response mediators. These results suggest that wood-cultivated ginseng extract and ginsenoside Rg5 stimulated in vitro angiogenesis by activating the Akt/eNOS- and ERK1/2-dependent signal pathways without inducing vascular inflammation.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.139-143
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• 2006

To increase the contents of functional ginsenosides by conversion, especially ginsenoside-$Rg_3$ and $Rh_2$, the extracts of red ginseng were treated with high temperature and citric acid or apricot extract. When the extracts were subject to $120^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours, the content of ginsenoside-$Rg_3$ was increased 2 times than in control. When the extracts were subject to $120^{\circ}C$ and acidic conditions adjusted with citric acid, the ginsenoside-$Rg_3$, was detected 2.8 times, but other ginsenoside were decreased heavily to 65%. When the extract were treated with for 12 hours at $80^{\circ}C$, the content of ginsenoside-$Rg_3$ was increased to 3.3 times, Also, when the red ginseng extracts were treated with apricot extract, the ginsenoside-$Rg_3$ was detected to 4 times than in control, but other ginsenoside were decreased lightly to 35%, not same as at the $120^{\circ}C$ treatment.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.401-414
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• 2013

Ginsenoside Rg3 (G-Rg3) contained only in red ginseng has been found to show various pharmacological effects such as an anticancer, antiangiogenetic, antimetastastic, liver protective, neuroprotective immunomodulating, vasorelaxative, antidiabetic, insulin secretion promoting and antioxidant activities. It is well known that G-Rg3 could be divided into 20(R)-Rg3 and 20(S)-Rg3 according to the hydroxyl group attached to C-20 of aglycone, whose structural characteristics show different pharmacological activities. It has been reported that G-Rg3 is metabolized to G-Rh2 and protopanaxadiol by the conditions of the gastric acid or intestinal bacteria, thereby these metabolites could be absorbed, suggesting its absolute bioavailability (2.63%) to be very low. Therefore, we reviewed the chemical, physical and biological transformation methods for the production on a large scale of G-Rg3 with various pharmacological effects. We also examined the influence of acid and heat treatment-induced potentials on for the preparation method of higher G-Rg3 content in ginseng and ginseng products. Futhermore, the microbial and enzymatic bio-conversion technologies could be more efficient in terms of high selectivity, efficiency and productivity. The present review discusses the available technologies for G-Rg3 production on a large scale using chemical and biological transformation.