• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2017

Background: Some differences have been reported in the biotransformation of ginsenosides, probably due to the types of materials used such as ginseng, enzymes, and microorganisms. Moreover, most microorganisms used for transforming ginsenosides do not meet food-grade standards. We investigated the statistical conversion rate of major ginsenosides in ginsenosides model culture during fermentation by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to estimate possible pathways. Methods: Ginsenosides standard mix was used as a model culture to facilitate clear identification of the metabolic changes. Changes in eight ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg1, and Rg2) during fermentation with six strains of LAB were investigated. Results: In most cases, the residual ginsenoside level decreased by 5.9-36.8% compared with the initial ginsenoside level. Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Re continuously decreased during fermentation. By contrast, Rd was maintained or slightly increased after 1 d of fermentation. Rg1 and Rg2 reached their lowest values after 1-2 d of fermentation, and then began to increase gradually. The conversion of Rd, Rg1, and Rg2 into smaller deglycosylated forms was more rapid than that of Rd from Rb1, Rb2, and Rc, as well as that of Rg1 and Rg2 from Re during the first 2 d of fermentation with LAB. Conclusion: Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Re continuously decreased, whereas ginsenosides Rd, Rg1, and Rg2 increased after 1-2 d of fermentation. This study may provide new insights into the metabolism of ginsenosides and can clarify the metabolic changes in ginsenosides biotransformed by LAB.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.415-422
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• 2016

Background: Rare ginsenosides in Panax quinquefolius L. have strong bioactivities. The fact that it is hard to obtain large amounts of rare ginsenosides seriously restricts further research on these compounds. An easy, fast, and efficient method to obtain different kinds of rare ginsenosides simultaneously and to quantify each one precisely is urgently needed. Methods: Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was used to extract nine kinds of rare ginsenosides from P. quinquefolius L. In this article, rare ginsenosides [20(S)-Rh1, 20(R)-Rh1, Rg6, F4, Rk3, 20(S)-Rg3, 20(R)-Rg3, Rk1, and Rg5] were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. The quantity information of rare ginsenosides was analyzed by HPLC-UV at 203 nm. Results: The optimal conditions for MAE were using water as solvent with the material ratio of 1:40 (w/v) at a temperature of $145^{\circ}C$, and extracting for 15 min under microwave power of 1,600 W. Seven kinds of rare ginsenosides [20(S)-Rh1, 20(R)-Rh1, Rg6, F4, Rk3, Rk1, and Rg5] had high extraction yields, but those of 20(S)-Rg3 and 20(R)-Rg3 were lower. Compared with the conventional method, the extraction yields of the nine rare ginsenosides were significantly increased. Conclusion: The results indicate that rare ginsenosides can be extracted effectively by MAE from P. quinquefolius L. in a short time. Microwave radiation plays an important role in MAE. The probable generation process of rare ginsenosides is also discussed in the article. It will be meaningful for further investigation or application of rare ginsenosides.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.255-263
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• 2020

Ginsenosides are considered to be the most important ingredients in ginseng. They are chemically converted by endogenous organic acids contained in ginseng and the heat applied during red ginseng processing. During this procedure, various converted ginsenosides are produced through hydrolysis of substitute sugars of ginsenosides and forming double bonds through dehydration in the dammarane skeleton. In order to study the conversion mechanism of protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides during the heat treatment process of ginseng, we purified the three final converted ginsenosides by heating fresh ginseng for a long time. The three isolated ginsenosides were identified as 25(OH)-ginsenoside Rg5, 25(OH)-ginsenoside Rz1 and 25(OH)-ginsenoside Rg3 through NMR spectrum analysis. As a result of quantification of ginseng heated at 100 ℃ for 0 to 6 days by HPLC/UV and TLC methods, the content of 25(OH)-ginsenosides tended to increase in proportion to the time exposed to heat. In particular, the content of 25(OH)-ginsenosid Rg5 was confirmed to be noticeably increased.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.262-266
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• 2009

To evaluate the anticolitic effect of red ginseng (RG, the steamed root of Panax ginseng CA. Meyer, Araliaceae), RG and its representative constituents, ginsenosides Rg3 and Rh2, were orally administered to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitic mice and inflammatory markers investigated. RG and its constituents, ginsenosides Rg3 and Rh2, inhibited colon shortening and myeloperoxidase activity induced by DSS. The ginsenosides Rg3 and Rh2 inhibited mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ as well as protein levels of IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6. These ginsenosides also inhibited the activation of a transcription nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}B$. Ginsenoside Rh2 was a more potent inhibitor than ginsenoside Rg3. The anticolitic effects of these ginsenosides were comparable with sulfasalazine.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.335-342
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• 2005

The effects of ginsenosides Rg$_3$(R) , Rg$_3$(S) and Rg$_5$/Rk$_1$ (a mixture of Rg$_5$ and Rk$_1$ 1:1, w/w), which are components isolated from processed Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (Araliaceae), on memory dysfunction were examined in mice using a passive avoidance test. The ginsenosides Rg3(R), Rg3(S) or Rg$_5$/Rk$_1$, when orally administered for 4 days, significantly ameliorated the memory impairment induced by the single oral administration of ethanol. The memory impairment induced by the intraperitoneal injection of scopolamine was also significantly recovered by ginsenosides Rg3(S) and Rg$_5$/Rk$_1$. Among the three ginsenosides tested in this study, Rg$_5$/Rk$_1$ enhanced the memory function of mice most effectively in both the ethanol­and scopolamine-induced amnesia models. Moreover, the latency period of the Rg$_5$/Rk$_1$­treated mice was 1.2 times longer than that of the control (no amnesia) group in both models, implying that Rg$_5$/Rk$_1$ may also exert beneficial effects in the normal brain. We also evaluated the effects of these ginsenosides on the excitotoxic and oxidative stress-induced neuronal cell damage in primary cultured rat cortical cells. The excitotoxicity induced by glutamate or N­methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) was dramatically inhibited by the three ginsenosides. Rg$_3$(S) and Rg$_5$/Rk$_1$ exhibited a more potent inhibition of excitotoxicity than did Rg$_3$(R). In contrast, these ginsenosides were all ineffective against the H$_2$O$_2$- or xanthine/xanthine oxidase-induced oxidative neuronal damage. Taken together, these results indicate that ginsenosides Rg$_3$(S) and Rg$_5$/Rk$_1$ significantly reversed the memory dysfunction induced by ethanol or scopolamine, and their neuroprotective actions against excitotoxicity may be attributed to their memory enhancing effects.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.711-721
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• 2022

The immune system is one of the most important parts of the human body and immunomodulation is the major function of the immune system. In response to outside pathogens or high inflammation, the immune system is stimulated or suppressed. Thus, identifying effective and potent immunostimulants or immunosuppressants is critical. Ginsenosides are a type of steroid saponin derived from ginseng. Most are harmless to the body and even have tonic effects. In this review, we mainly focus on the immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive roles of two types ginsenosides: the protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type and protopanaxatriol (PPT)-type. PPT-type ginsenosides include Rg1, Rg2, Rh4, Re and notoginsenoside R1, and PPD-type ginsenosides include Rg3, Rh2, Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, compound K (CK) and PPD, which activate the immune responses. In addition, Rg1 and Rg6 belong to PPT-type ginsenosides and together with Rg3, Rb1, Rd, CK show immunosuppressive properties. Current explorations of ginsenosides in immunological areas are in the preliminary stages. Therefore, this review may provide some novel ideas to researchers who study the immunoregulatory roles of ginsenosides.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.363-367
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• 2005

Although widely applied in the food industry, extrusion cooking has not been applied to the traditional red ginseng process for steaming and drying ginseng. We therefore investigated the change in the effective components in red ginseng (total saponins, ginsenosides and maltol) from extruded raw ginseng. The variables were the drying temperature of the sliced raw ginseng (80 and $90^{\circ}C$) before the extrusion process and the moisture content (15 and 22%, w.b.) during the extrusion process. Ginsenosides Rg1 and Rg2 were detected in dried ginseng at $80^{\circ}C$, but ginsenoside Rg3, which was contained in red ginseng, was not detected. On the other hand, ginsenosides Rg1, Rg2 and Rg3 were detected in extruded ginseng at moisture contents of 15 and 22%. Total ginsenosides were highest at $90^{\circ}C$ drying temperature and 22% moisture content for the extrusion process.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.134-139
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• 2004

In this study, an immunoactivity of panaxtriol ginsenosides Re and Rg1 against infection due to Candida albicans was investigated. The ginsenosides were extracted from Red Ginseng with 85% ethanol and heat-treatment and were analyzed by HPLC on water-acetonitrile as a mobile phase. The HPLC analysis revealed that the extract contained ginsenosides Re and Rg1, which were eluted as a combined peak. By agar diffusion susceptibility, the mixture of Re and Rg1 had no growth-inhibitory activity on C. albicans yeast cells. However, in animal tests BALB/c mice given the mixture of Re and Rg1 intraperitoneally (Lp.) before intravenous (Lv.) infection with live C. albicans yeast cells had longer mean survival times (MST) than MST of control mice groups that received only buffer solution instead of Re and Rg1. In experiments 60% of the ginsenosides-treated mice survived the entire duration of the 50-day observation. The Re and Rg1 mixture induced production of nitric oxide when interacted with RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line. In addition, the mixture caused morphological change of the macrophages. These data indicate that immunostimulation by the Re and Rg1 may be responsible for the protection of mice against disseminated candidiasis.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2020

Objectives: Ginsenosides found in ginseng, and the hydrolysates derived from their conversion, exhibit diverse pharmacological characteristics [1]. These have been shown to include anti-cancer, anti-angiogenic, and anti-metastatic effects, as well as being able to provide hepatic and neuroprotective effects, immunomodulation, vasodilation, promotion of insulin secretion, and antioxidant activity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine how quickly the ginsenosides decompose and what kinds of degradation products are created under physicochemical processing conditions that don't involve toxic chemicals or other treatments that may be harmful. Methods: The formation of ginsenoside-Rg2 and ginsenoside-Rg3 was examined. These demonstrated diverse pharmacological effects. Results: We also investigated physicochemical factors affecting their conversion. The heating temperatures and times yielding the highest concentration of ginsenosides (-Rb1, -Rb2, -Rc, -Rd, -Rf, -Rg1, and -Re) were examined. Additionally, the heating temperatures and rates of conversion of these ginsenosides into new 'ginseng saponins', were examined. Conclusion: In conclusion, obtained provide us with effective technology to control the concentration of both ginsenosides and the downstream converted saponins (ginsenoside-Rg2, Rg3, Rg5, and Rk1 etc.), as well as identifying the processing conditions which enable an enrichment in concentration of these compounds.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.156-164
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• 2005

This study was performed to investigate the anxiolytic-like effects Panax ginseng in mice using the elevated plus-maze model. Furthermore, the anxiolytic-like effects of Panax ginseng were compared to a known active anxiolytic drug, diazepam. Ginseng total saponin (GTS, 100 mg/kg) from red ginseng (RG), sun ginseng (SG) total extract (50 mg/kg), butanol fraction of SG(25 and 50 mg/kg) and ginsenosides ($Rb_1,\;Rg_1,\;and\;Rg_5$ and Rk mixture) significantly increased the number of open arm entries and the time spent on the open arm, compared with that of control. However, Red ginseng (RG) total extract (l00 mg/kg), GTS (25, 50 mg/kg), SG total extract (25 mg/kg) and ginsenosides ($Rg_{3}-R\;and\;Rg_{3}-S$) did not increase the number of open arm entries and the time spent on the open arm. On the other hand, butanol fraction of RG (l00 mg/kg), total extract of SG (50 mg/kg), butanol fraction of SG (50 mg/kg), ginsenosides ($Rb_{1},\;and\;Rg_{5}$ and Rk mixture) decreased the locomotor activity, in a similar fashion to diazepam. These data support that ginseng has the anxiolytic-like effects and the anxiolytic potential of SG was stronger than that of RG. Ginsenosides $Rb_{1},\;Rg_{1},\;and\;Rg_{5}$ and Rk mixture play important role on the anxiolytic-like effects of Panax ginseng. We provide evidence that ginseng and some ginsenosides may be useful for the treatment of anxiety.