• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.505-514
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• 2022

Background: The roots of Panax ginseng contain two types of tetracyclic triterpenoid saponins, namely, protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type saponins and protopanaxatiol (PPT)-type saponins. In P. ginseng, the protopanaxadiol 6-hydroxylase (PPT synthase) enzyme catalyses protopanaxatriol (PPT) production from protopanaxadiol (PPD). In this study, we constructed homozygous mutant lines of ginseng by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of the PPT synthase gene and obtained the mutant ginseng root lines having complete depletion of the PPT-type ginsenosides. Methods: Two sgRNAs (single guide RNAs) were designed for target mutations in the exon sequences of the two PPT synthase genes (both PPTa and PPTg sequences) with the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Transgenic ginseng roots were generated through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The mutant lines were screened by ginsenoside analysis and DNA sequencing. Result: Ginsenoside analysis revealed the complete depletion of PPT-type ginsenosides in three putative mutant lines (Cr4, Cr7, and Cr14). The reduction of PPT-type ginsenosides in mutant lines led to increased accumulation of PPD-type ginsenosides. The gene editing in the selected mutant lines was confirmed by targeted deep sequencing. Conclusion: We have established the genome editing protocol by CRISPR/Cas9 system in P. ginseng and demonstrated the mutated roots producing only PPD-type ginsenosides by depleting PPT-type ginsenosides. Because the pharmacological activity of PPD-group ginsenosides is significantly different from that of PPT-group ginsenosides, the new type of ginseng mutant producing only PPD-group ginsenosides may have new pharmacological characteristics compared to wild-type ginseng. This is the first report to generate target-induced mutations for the modification of saponin biosynthesis in Panax species using CRISPR-Cas9 system.

• 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.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.163-169
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• 1996

Glycosidation of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol obtained by the alkaline hydrolysis of total ginsenosides with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-${\alpha$-D-glucopyranosyl bromide in the presence of $CdCO_3$ in benzene-dioxane gave a mixture of acetylated monoglucosides and diglucosides in a total yield of 68%. Under the same condenstion condition, 20-dehydroxyglucosides were formed by dehydration of 12-O-glucosides. The structures of produced glycosides were elucidated as 3-O-${\beta$-D-glucopyranosyl-20(S)-protopanaxadiol, 12-O-${\beta$-D-glucopyranosyl-dammar-20(22), 24-dien-$3{\beta},12{\beta}$-diol, 3,12-di-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranosyl-dammar-20(22), 24-dien-$3{\beta},\;12{\beta}$-diol, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.605-614
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• 2023

Ginsenosides are bioactive components of Panax ginseng with many functions such as anti-aging, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue, and anti-tumor. Ginsenosides are categorized into dammarane, oleanene, and ocotillol type tricyclic triterpenoids based on the aglycon structure. Based on the sugar moiety linked to C-3, C-20, and C-6, C-20, dammarane type was divided into protopanaxadiol (PPD) and protopanaxatriol (PPT). The effects of ginsenosides on skin disorders are noteworthy. They play antiaging roles by enhancing immune function, resisting melanin formation, inhibiting oxidation, and elevating the concentration of collagen and hyaluronic acid. Thus, ginsenosides have previously been widely used to resist skin diseases and aging. This review details the role of ginsenosides in the anti-skin aging process from mechanisms and experimental research.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.572-582
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• 2023

Background: Free fatty acid-induced lipotoxicity is considered to play an important role in pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. The effect of ginsenosides on palmitic acid-induced pancreatic beta-cells cell death and failure of glucose-stimulated secretion of insulin (GSIS) was evaluated in this study. Methods: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit for a rat insulin was used to quantify glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Protein expression was examined by western blotting analysis. Nuclear condensation was measured by staining with Hoechst 33342 stain. Apoptotic cell death was assessed by staining with Annexin V. Oil Red O staining was used to measure lipid accumulation. Results: We screened ginsenosides to prevent palmitic acid-induced cell death and impairment of GSIS in INS-1 pancreatic β-cells and identified protopanaxadiol (PPD) as a potential therapeutic agent. The protection effect of PPD was likely due to a reduction in apoptosis and lipid accumulation. PPD attenuated the palmitic acid-induced increase in the levels of B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X/B-cell lymphoma 2, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and cleaved caspase-3. Moreover, PPD prevented palmitic acid-induced impairment of insulin secretion, which was accompanied by an increase in the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, insulin receptor substrate-2, serine-threonine kinase, and pancreatic and duodenal homeobox-1. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the protective effect of PPD on lipotoxicity and lipid accumulation induced by palmitic acid in pancreatic β-cells.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.332-336
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• 2008

PPD ginsenosides in ginseng leaf were analyzed to determine effects of either FIR heat or steaming heat treatment. Among the PPD ginsenosides, Rb1, Rc and Rb3 forming four glycoside-attached aglycons were increased as FIR heat temperatures were increased from 60 to $120^{\circ}C$, while Rb3 was decreased. In addition, FIR heat treatment was effective to increase Rd forming a three glycoside-attached aglycon. Rg3 and Rh2 were not increased by the FIR heat treatment. In steaming heat treatment, Rb1 was significantly decreased, while Rb2 was increased. Rd was also increased by increased steaming temperature, yet its content was lower than in the FIR heat treatment. However, the steaming heat treatment increased yields of Rg3 and Rh2, which were not observed in the FIR heat treatment. Thus, FIR heat treatment was beneficial to efficient products of Rb1, Rc, Rb3 and Rd. Steaming heat treatment was effective to higher collection of Rb2, Rg3 and Rh2.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.95-98
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• 1998

Ginseng (the root of Panax ginseng C. A. MEYER, Araliaceae) has been used for traditional medicine in China, Korea, Japan and other Asian countries for the treatment of various diseases including psychiatric and neurologic diseases as well as diabetes mellitus. So far, ginseng saponins (ginsenosides) have been regarded as the principal components responsible for the pharmacological activities of ginseng. Ginsenosides are glycosides containing an aglycone (protopanaxadiol or protopanaxatriol) with a dammarane skeleton and have been shown to possess various biological activities including the enhancement of cholesterol biosynthesis, stimulation of serum protein synthesis, immuno- modulatory effects and anti-inflammatory activity. Several studies using ginsenosides have also reported anti-tumor effects, particularly the inhibition of tumor-induced angiogenesis, tumor invasion and metastasis, and the control of phenotypic expression and differentiation of tumor cells.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.454-457
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• 1995

To improve the yield of genuine aglycones from glycosides, the conditions of alkaline hydrolysis were investigated, and a modified method was established. The modified method empolyed pyridine as an aprotic solvent. To complete the hydrolysis and obtain 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (1) and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol(2), which are the genuine aglycones of ginsenosides, total ginsenosides were refluxed with sodium methoxide in pyridine. Addition of methanol, a protic polar solvent to the reaction miuxture, led partial hydrolysis yielding a mixture of the genuine prosapogenols. Of the prosapogenols compound 3 and 6 characteristically possessed D-glucopyranosyl moiety attached at the sterically hindered C-20 hydroxyl group. 3 and 6 were not obtaijned by other hydrolysisw methods except by the soil bacterial hydrolysis.

• 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.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.296-301
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• 1998

To investigate the effects of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng on mitogenic responses in macrophages and splenocytes from murine, we examined the effects of representative protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol ginsenosides ($Rb_1,\;Rb_2,\;Re\;and\;Rg_1$) on tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-(${\alpha}$) production in murine macrophage cell line (RAW264.7 cells) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and T cell proliferation in splenocytes stimulated by concanavalin A (Con A). Among the ginsenosides tested, protopanaxadiol ginsenosides ($Rb_1\;and\;Rb_2$) significantly inhibited TNF-${\alpha}$ production in a dose-dependent manner. However, protoppanaxatriol ginsenosides (Re and $Rg_1$) showed little inhibitory activity. The molar concentrations of $Rb_1\;and\;Rb_2$ producing 50% inhibition ($IC_{50}$) of TNF-${\alpha}$ production were $55.8{\mu}g/ml\;(48.0{\mu}M)\;and\;31.8{\mu}g/ml (27.9{\mu}M)$, respectively. As a positive control, prednisolone also exhibited inhibitory activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of $21.7{\mu}M$. In T cell proliferation, $Rg_1$, was not effective but $Rb_1$ and Re or $Rb_2$ significantly increased or inhibited at high concentration, 75 and $100{\mu}g/ml$. In contrast, prednisolone showed potent inhibitory activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of 6.1nM. These results suggest that ginsenosides may take part in the mitogen-induced signaling pathway for TNF-${\alpha}$ production and T cell proliferation from macrophages and splenocytes.