• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.205-210
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• 2012

For quality control of components in Korean red ginseng powder and extract, a new method for simultaneous quantification of 12 ginsenosides ($Rg_1$, Re, Rf, $Rh_1$, $Rg_2$[S], $Rg_2$[R], $Rb_1$, Rc, $Rb_2$, Rd, $Rg_3$[S], and $Rg_3$[R]) was studied. Compared to the official method for quantification of marker substances (ginsenosides $Rg_1$ and $Rb_1$), the proposed methods were guaranteed by in-house method validation. Several criteria such as linearity, specificity, precision and accuracy were evaluated. For red ginseng powder, recovery (averaging 95% to 105%) was calculated, and analysis of variance was carried out to estimate the relative standard deviation (0.20% to 2.12%). For red ginseng extract, the average recovery rate was 90% to 99% and the relative standard deviation was 0.39% to 2.40%. These results indicate that the proposed method could be used in the laboratory for determination of 12 ginsenosides in red ginseng powder and extract. In addition, this method was found to be suitable for quality control of ginseng products and potentially offer time and cost benefits.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.286-292
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• 1986

For the elucidation of saponin synthesis during ontogeny changes of ginsenosides and free sugars in seeds during stratification and seedlings in early growth stage were investigated with high performance liquid chrom-atography. Embryo plus endosperm at 40-day stratification showed 80% decrease of total saponin, disappear-ance of Rc, Rb$_2$ and Rb$_1$ and appearance of Rg$_3$ (probable) and 20-Glc-Rf (probable). Leaf ginsenoside F$_3$ was found not in fruit plup but seed and decreased during stratification. Both decomposition and synthesis of saponin seemed to occure during stratification. Ginsenosides in endosperm and embryo might be originated from fruit pulp by penetration. In seedling saponin appeared first in shoot and in root about one month later. Ginsenoside Rc, Rb$_2$, Rb$_1$ appeared in root at the last investigation (June 30) indicating normal saponin synthetic capacity of root. Saponin synthetic rate was twice in leaf than in root. Leaf ginsenoside F$_3$ was found in seedling root. Root saponin Rg$_3$ and 20-Glc-Rf were found in leaf and stem in seedling and decreased with growth suggesting that rate saponin is not such in certain growth stage. Total saponin content was negatively correlated with PT/PD in seeds and arial parts of seedling due to greater change of PD. than PT. Seed at 70days stratification showed high sucrose content. In seedling glucose was main sugar in stem all the while and sucrose in root at early stage while glucose, fructose and sucrose were found in leaf.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.334-343
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• 2021

Background: Gut microbiota mainly function in the biotransformation of primary ginsenosides into bioactive metabolites. Herein, we investigated the effects of three prebiotic fibers by targeting gut microbiota on the metabolism of ginsenoside Rb1 in vivo. Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were administered with ginsenoside Rb1 after a two-week prebiotic intervention of fructooligosaccharide, galactooligosaccharide, and fibersol-2, respectively. Pharmacokinetic analysis of ginsenoside Rb1 and its metabolites was performed, whilst the microbial composition and metabolic function of gut microbiota were examined by 16S rRNA gene amplicon and metagenomic shotgun sequencing. Results: The results showed that peak plasma concentration and area under concentration time curve of ginsenoside Rb1 and its intermediate metabolites, ginsenoside Rd, F2, and compound K (CK), in the prebiotic intervention groups were increased at various degrees compared with those in the control group. Gut microbiota dramatically responded to the prebiotic treatment at both taxonomical and functional levels. The abundance of Prevotella, which possesses potential function to hydrolyze ginsenoside Rb1 into CK, was significantly elevated in the three prebiotic groups (P < 0.05). The gut metagenomic analysis also revealed the functional gene enrichment for terpenoid/polyketide metabolism, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, propanoate metabolism, etc. Conclusion: These findings imply that prebiotics may selectively promote the proliferation of certain bacterial stains with glycoside hydrolysis capacity, thereby, subsequently improving the biotransformation and bioavailability of primary ginsenosides in vivo.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.476-484
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• 2018

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (steamed and dried white ginseng, Panax ginseng Meyer) is well known for enhancing vital energy and immune capacity and for inhibiting cancer cell growth. Some clinical studies also demonstrated a therapeutic potential of ginseng extract for treating lung inflammatory disorders. This study was conducted to establish the therapeutic potential of ginseng saponins on the lung inflammatory response. Methods: From Korean Red Ginseng, 11 ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg1, Rg2, Rg3, and Rh2) were isolated. Their inhibitory potential and action mechanism were evaluated using a mouse model of lung inflammation, acute lung injury induced by intranasal lipopolysaccharide administration. Their anti-inflammatory activities were also examined in lung epithelial cell line (A549) and alveolar macrophage (MH-S). Results: All ginsenosides orally administered at 20 mg/kg showed 11.5-51.6% reduction of total cell numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Among the ginsenosides, Rc, Re, Rg1, and Rh2 exhibited significant inhibitory action by reducing total cell numbers in the BALF by 34.1-51.6% (n = 5). Particularly, Re showed strong and comparable inhibitory potency with that of dexamethasone, as judged by the number of infiltrated cells and histological observations. Re treatment clearly inhibited the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$, and the c-Fos component in the lung tissue (n = 3). Conclusion: Certain ginsenosides inhibit lung inflammatory responses by interrupting these signaling molecules and they are potential therapeutics for inflammatory lung diseases.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.532-539
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• 2018

Background: Heat treatments are applied to ginseng products in order to improve physiological activities through the conversion of ginsenosides, which are key bioactive components. During heat treatment, organic acids can affect ginsenoside conversion. Therefore, the influence of organic acids during heat treatment should be considered. Methods: Raw ginseng, crude saponin, and ginsenoside $Rb_1$ standard with different organic acids were treated at $130^{\circ}C$, and the chemical components, including ginsenosides and organic acids, were analyzed. Results: The organic acid content in raw ginseng was 5.55%. Organic acids were not detected in crude saponin that was not subjected to heat treatment, whereas organic acids were found in crude saponin subjected to heat treatment. Major ginsenosides ($Rb_1$, Re, and $Rg_1$) in ginseng and crude saponin were converted to minor ginsenosides at $130^{\circ}C$; the ginsenoside $Rb_1$ standard was very stable in the absence of organic acids and was converted into minor ginsenosides in the presence of organic acids at high temperatures. Conclusion: The major factor affecting ginsenoside conversion was organic acids in ginseng. Therefore, the organic acid content as well as ginsenoside content and processing conditions should be considered important factors affecting the quality of ginseng products.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2009

Ginseng saponins (a secondary metabolite, termed ginsenosides) are the principal bioactive ingredients of ginseng, and modification of the sugar chains may markedly change the its biological activity. One of soil bacteria having $\beta$-glucosidase (to transform ginsenoside $Rb_1$) activity was isolated from soil of a ginseng field in Daejeon. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the isolate belonged to the genus Cellulosimicrobium, with highest sequence similarity (99.7%) to Cellulosimicrobium funkei ATCC BAA-$886^T$. The strain, Gsoil 235, could transform ginsenoside $Rb_1$ into Rd, $Rg_3$ and 3 of un-known ginsenosides by the analyses of TLC, HPLC. By investigating its deglycosylation progress, the optimal broth for, $\beta$-glucosidase was nutrient broth (In 48 hours, almost ginsenoside $Rb_1$ could be transformed into minor ginsenosides). On the contrary, the optimal broth for growth was determined as trypic soy broth (TSB).

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1984.09a
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• pp.13-19
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• 1984

In the previous symposium, authors reported about anti-atherogenic action of Panax ginseng, saying that red-ginseng powder increased serum HDL-cholesterol, decreased total cholesterol, TG, NEFA, in addition, decreased platelet adhesiveness. Later, Toyama group including me. reported that ginsenosides esp. $Rb_2$ enhanced HDL and decreased LDL. Also Matsuyama group and Kinki Univ. group reported that ginsenosides $Rg_1,\;Rb_2,$ etc. inhibited platelet aggregation. This paper will be divided into two parts: Experimental and clinical Experimental study; Using a highcholesterol-cholic acid-fed rats, effects of red ginseng extract and several ginsenosides on serum apoprotein-lipoproteins in relation to prostaglandins. Rats received $2\%$ cholesterol 1-1$\%$ cholic acid diet, ginseng extract or ginsenosides 2.5mg/100g/day for 9 days. Red ginseng extract, ginsenosides $Rb_2,\;Rc,\;Rb_1,\;and\;Rg_1,\;esp.\;Rb_2,$ increased HDL, apo-AI, Aii and $PGI_2,$ while they decreased LDL, apo-B and $TXA_2$. Clinical study: Effect of red ginseng powder on hyperlipidemia was observed. Long term administration of red ginseng powder manufactured by Office of Monopoly, Republic of Korea and offered by Japan-Korea Korean Ginseng Co., Kobe, at the dose of 2.7 g/day, was performed in patients with hyperlipidemia up to 4 years. The significant increase in serum HDL-cholesterol and also the significant decrease in total cholesterol, atherogenic index, TG, NEFA and lipoperoxide was observed with 3-48 month administration of red ginseng. Conclusions: Red ginseng and ginsenosides improved hyperlipidemia in rats and in man, with the improvement of blood apoproteins, lipoproteins and prostaglandins in experimental hyperlipidemic animals.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.429-435
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• 2011

Korean red ginseng has been studied various biological activities such as immune, anti-oxidative, anti-microbial, and anticancer activities but antiviral mechanism needs further studies. In this study, we aimed to examine the antiviral effects of Korea red ginseng extract and ginsenosides on norovirus surrogate, including murine norovirus (MNV) and feline calicivirus (FCV). We evaluated the pre-, co-, and post-treatment effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG), ginsenosides $Rb_1$ and $Rg_1$. To measure the antiviral effect and cytotoxicity of KRG extract, and ginsenosides $Rb_1$ and $Rg_1$, we treated Crandell-Reese Feline Kidney for FCV or RAW264.7 cells for MNV with concentrations of 0, 5, 6.7, 10, 20 ug/mL total saponin. There was cytotoxic effect in the highest concentration 20 ug/mL of KRG extract so this concentration was excluded in this study. The FCV titer was significantly reduced to 0.23-0.83 $log_{10}$ 50% tissue culture infectious dose ($TCID_{50}$)/mL in groups pre-treated with red ginseng extract or ginsenosides. The titer of MNV was significantly reduced to 0.37-1.48 $log_{10}$ $TCID_{50}$/mL in groups pre-treated with red ginseng extract or ginsenosides. However, there was no observed antiviral effect in groups co-treated or post-treated with KRG and its constituents. Our data suggest that KRG extract has an antiviral effect against norovirus surrogates. The antiviral mechanisms of KRG and ginsenosides should be addressed in future studies.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.247-252
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• 2016

Cultivated wild ginseng is a widely used dietary supplement and medicinal herb. The aim of this study was to optimize the ginseng using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)- charged aerosol detection (CAD) for ginsenoside analysis. CAD measures the physical property of an analyte and responds to almost all non-volatile species, independent of their nature, spectral properties, or particle size. It has become widely employed in pharmaceutical analysis. The cultivated wild ginseng extracts were analyzed for compositions of ginsenosides Rb1, Rd, Rg1, Rf, Re, and Rh1. The optimal analysis condition was set up from an experiment using a gradient. Ten grams of cultivated wild ginseng were extracted with 95% EtOH 100 ml for 24 hr at 80℃. The contents of the 6six major ginsenosides in the cultivated wild ginseng extract were Rb1 (5.48±0.12 mg/g), Rd (5.33±0.14 mg/g), Rg1 (12.80± 0.05 mg/g), Rf (19.08±0.68 mg/g), Re (19.87±0.05 mg/g), and Rh1 (16.47±0.16 mg/g), respectively. HPLC showed that the protopanaxatriol group (Rg1, Rf, Re, Rh1) had more content than the protopanaxadiol group (Rb1, Rd) in cultivated wild ginseng extract. In summary, the ginsenosides were identified with HPLC-CAD analysis, and their presence and quantity imply the importance of quality control, as well as the pharmacological activity of the ginseng root.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.159-174
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• 2007

Pharmacology of Korean Red ginseng gives us unique possibility to develop new class of antiepileptic drugs today and to improve one's biological activity. The chemical structures of ginsenosides (GS) have some principal differences from well-known antiepileptic new generation drugs. The antiepileptic effect of GS was also demonstrated in all models of epilepsy in rats (young and adult), which have studied, in all models of epilepsy including status epilepticus (SE), induced by lithium - pilocarpine. In our experiments in rats new evidences on protective effects were exerted as a result of premedication by GS. Pre-treatment of several GS could induce decrease of the seizures severity and brain structural damage (by MRI), neuronal degeneration in hippocampus. Wave nature of severity of motor seizures during convulsive SE was observed during lithium-pilocarpine model of SE in rats (the first increase of seizures was 30 min after the beginning of SE and the second - 90 min after. The efficacy of treatment on SE by ginsenoside as expected was observed after no less 3 weeks by daily GS i.p. administration. It is blocked SE or significantly decrease the severity of seizures during SE. The implication of presented data is that combination of ginsenosides from Korean Red ginseng and ginseng cell culture Dan25 that could be applied for prevention of epileptical status development. However, a development of optimal ratio of different ginsenosides $(Rb_1$ Rc, Rg, Rf,) should consummate in the new antiepileptic drug development.