• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.1 s.53
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• pp.13-20
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• 1999

We previously reported that Korean red ginseng (KRG) has a relaxation effect on the smooth muscles of corpus cavernosum via nitric oxide (NO) pathway and calcium and potassium channels. However, it is suggested that the active ingredients of KRG might be different depending on the sources of preparation, and there might be differences in actions for different compositions. We first investigated the composition of KRG saponins according to the extractions of the various sources of KRG, then with these extractions the relaxation effects were evaluated in vitro and hemodynamical in vivo using New Zealand white rabbit and rat corpus cavernosum. The total compositions of ginsenoside $(G-Rb_1,\;-Rb_2,\;-Rc,\;-Rd,\;G-Re,\;-Rf,\;-Rg_1)$ in fractionated KRG saponin designated as TS-1, TS-2, TS-3 were $41\%,\;40\%,\;and\;62\%,$ respectively, and the ratios of PD saponin and PT saponin (PD/PT) were 1,55, 1.72, 2.25, and 2.61, the values of which were statistically significant. In vitro studies using the rabbit corpus cavernosal muscle strips, the KRG saponin relaxed cavernosal strips in a dose-dependent manner, and same results were observed in in vivo studies, that KRG saponin increased the intracavernosal pressure in the rat. There was difference in the efficacy according to fractionation techniques. The differences in the total contents of ginsenosides did not affect relaxation, rather PT saponin content was statistically related to the degree of cavernosal relaxation, and this action presumed to be mediated by NO pathway and calcium and potassium channels. In conclusion, KRG exerts relaxation which is a key step in erection via combination of effects on NO system or calcium and potassium channels. The efficacy of this action is different to the sources of ginseng, which is affected by the different composition of ginsenosides $(G-Rb_1,\;-Rb_2,\;-Rc,\;-Rd,\;G-Re,\;-Rf,\;-Rg_1).$ Thus the further studies on the active ingredients such as minor ginsenosides and non-saponin components of red ginseng with maximum potency should be sought.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.283-293
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• 2011

With the purpose of improving ginsenoside content in adventitious root cultures of Korean wild ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer), the roots were treated with different dosages of ${\gamma}$-ray (5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 200 Gy). The growth of adventitious roots was inhibited at over 100 Gy. The irradiated adventitious roots showed significant variation in the morphological parameters and crude saponin content at 50 to100 Gy. Therefore, four mutant cell lines out of the propagation of 35 cell lines treated with 50 Gy and 100 Gy were selected on the basis of phenotypic morphology and crude saponin contents relative to the wild type control. The contents of 7 major ginsenosides ($Rg_1$, Re, $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, Rc, Rf, and Rd) were determined for cell lines 1 and 3 from 100 Gy and lines 2 and 4 from 50 Gy treatments. Cell line 2 showed more secondary roots, longer length and superior growth rate than the root controls in flasks and bioreactors. Cell line 1 showed larger average diameter and the growth rate in the bioreactor was comparable with that of the control but greater in the flask cultured roots. Cell lines 1 and 2, especially the former, showed much more ginsenoside contents than the control in flasks and bioreactors. Therefore, we chose cell line 1 for further study of ginsenoside contents. The crude saponin content of line 1 in flask and bioreactor cultures increased by 1.4 and 1.8-fold, respectively, compared to the control. Total contents of 7 ginsenoside types ($Rg_1$, Re, $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, Rc, Rf, and Rd) increased by 1.8 and 2.3-fold, respectively compared to the control. Crude saponin and ginsenoside contents in the bioreactor culture increased by about 1.4-fold compared to that the flask culture.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.335-339
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• 1987

This study was carried out to investigate effects of fat-soluble solvents on the purification against nan-saponin substances such as chlorophylls and other pigments and on the yields of saponins in separating saponins from ginseng root, leaf and stem. Ginseng root saponins were effectively purified by various fat-soluble solvents while ginseng leaf stem saponins were by chloroform. And alternative extractions of ethyl acetate, ethyl ether, chloroform and benzene there more effective for ginseng leaf stem saponins than that by any single solvent. Contents of crude saponin fractions and total ginsenosides in ginseng leaf were $18.5{\sim}19.5%\;and\;10.8{\sim}11.4%$, which were very high compared with $4.6{\sim}5.1%\;and\;2.0{\sim}2.6%$ in ginseng root or $2.2{\sim}2.5%\;and\;0.63{\sim}0.67%$ in ginseng stem. Therefore, ginseng leaf is good resources for total saponin or $ginsenosides-Rg_1,\;.Re,\;-Rc,\;-Rd,\;-Rb_2\;and\;-Rf$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.741-746
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• 2004

Drying of raw ginseng root down to 35% moisture content required for extrusion process. There were two kinds of pre-treatments of raw ginseng root which were chopping and whole-root ginseng before frying at 80, 100 and 12$0^{\circ}C$. Drying rate and physicochemical properties of dried ginseng were evaluated to determine optimum drying temperature for extrusion process. Drying time at 8$0^{\circ}C$ to decrease to 35% moisture was 6.5 hr and ginsenoside content in dried ginseng at 8$0^{\circ}C$ was lower than that of dried ginseng at 100 and 12$0^{\circ}C$. Drying time at 100 and 12$0^{\circ}C$ to decrease to 35% moisture was 5.5 and 3.5 hr and redness of dried ginseng powder was 5.20 and 7.23 respectively. Browness and redness of dried ginseng extract from 75% ethylene were significantly increased with the increase in drying temperature. Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg1 and total saponin were also increased with the increase in drying temperature from 8$0^{\circ}C$ to 10$0^{\circ}C$, however, those were not significantly different with drying temperature at 100 and 12$0^{\circ}C$. Drying temperature for extrusion process can be optimal at 10$0^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.52-56
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• 2005

This study was compared the quality of red ginseng and characteristic changes of physicochemical properties according to the storage period (non storage, two days, six days, eight days, ten days) and store temperature $20^{\circ}C, \;34^{\circ}C,\;-10^{\circ}C)$. The water content of the fresh ginseng has a tendency to decrease as storage time increases. When we store the fresh ginseng for 10 days, the ideal storage temperature is considered to be $34^{\circ}C$ degrees. The amount of total nitrogen has a tendency to increase more than that of no storage as storage period approaches to 10 days. In the storage temperature, the amount of total nitrogen has a tendency to increase in the order of 1) room temperature, 2) freezing storage, 3) cold storage more than no storage. Cold storage has larger contents of total phenolic compounds than room temperature and freezing storage according to storage temperature. When we analyze the changes of a relative density of eight elements, ginsenoside $Rb_1,Rb_2,Rc,Rd,Re,Rg_3,Rg_1\;and\;Rg_2$ in red ginseng's saponin Rf according to storage condition, the relative density of $Rb_1\;and\;Rg_1$ against Rf diminishes in each storage condition as storage time increases. And it is also thought that density change of ginsenoside appears because of the materials, and change tendency according to storage condition is not clear. From functional nature on the evaluation of the quality, taste and fragrance of red ginseng according to storage district, it is evaluated that it is most recommendable for red ginseng to be transported and stored in $3{\sim}4$ degrees to keep its best condition.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2014

Background: Ginsenosides are the major components responsible for the biochemical and pharmacological actions of ginseng, and have been shown to have various biological activities. In this study, we investigated the antiviral activities of seven ginsenosides [protopanaxatriol (PT) type: Re, Rf, and Rg2; protopanaxadiol (PD) type: Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd)] against coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), enterovirus 71 (EV71), and human rhinovirus 3 (HRV3). Methods: Assays of antiviral activity and cytotoxicity were evaluated by the sulforhodamine B method using the cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction assay. Results: The antiviral assays demonstrated that, of the seven ginsenosides, the PT-type ginsenosides (Re, Rf, and Rg2) possess significant antiviral activities against CVB3 and HRV3 at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/mL$. Among the PT-type ginsenosides, only ginsenoside Rg2 showed significant anti-EV71 activity with no cytotoxicity to cells at $100{\mu}g/mL$. The PD-type ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd), by contrast, did not show any significant antiviral activity against CVB3, EV71, and HRV3, and exhibited cytotoxic effects to virus-infected cells. Notably, the antiviral efficacies of PT-type ginsenosides were comparable to those of ribavirin, a commonly used antiviral drug. Conclusion: Collectively, our findings suggest that the ginsenosides Re, Rf, and Rg2 have the potential to be effective in the treatment of CVB3, EV71, and HRV3 infection.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1444-1448
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• 2006

This study was investigated for quality characteristics of Baechukimchi with ginseng during fermentation. For Baechukimchi preparation, original ingredients of Baechukimchi and high contents of ginseng were used. In the initial pH and titratable acidity of each samples, ginseng -added Kimchi showed a little higher value than pH 5.48 and 0.25% acidity of the control Kimchi. Ginseng-added Kimchi showed higher values of total microbes $(1.90\times10^6\sim2.93\times10^6)$ and lactic acid bacteria $(2.21\times10^6\sim2.62\times10^6)$ than the control Kimchi. The control Kimchi was total microbes of $1.59\times10^5$ and lactic acid bacteria of $7.60\times10^4$. According to fermentation periods, ginseng-added Kimchi showed decrease of pH and increase of titratable acidity than the control Kimchi, but it. was not different for the microbes between Kimchi samples. In the taste intensity of sensory evaluation, ginseng-added Kimchi was evaluated higher value than the control Kimchi and kept up texture, properties of initial preparation between samples during fermentation periods. In the crude saponin content, raw ginseng was 5.89% by dry basis and it was decreased to 3.74% after fermentation. And the individual ginsenosides content of Re, $Rg_1$, Rf, $Rg_2,\;Rh_1,\;Rb_1,$, Rc, $Rb_2$, Rd, $Rg_3$, but $Rg_3$ were decreased and $Rh_1$ were increased from 16.6 mg%, and 22.2 mg/% to 59.2 mg%, and 39.4 mg%, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.188-195
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• 2000

Using Ginseng saponins (crude saponin and total saponin) and ginsenoside Rbl Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rhl, and Rh2 in this study, we have examined the effects of the compounds on the induction of differentiation in normal rat mammary epithelial cells and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumor cells in culture. When normal rat mammary organoids were cultured in 100-mm culture plates in the presence or absence of ginseng saponins, there were four different cell colonies after two weeks in culture: cobble stone, spindle, honey comb, and senescence type colonies. Ginseng saponins showed different effects on the development of each colonies. Scrape-loading dye transfer tech-nique was performed to measure the effects of total saponin, Rhl, and Rh2 on intercellular junctional communication. Intercellular communication was not observed at short cultilral time, e.g., four or seven days, but when it cultured it up to two weeks, cell to cell communication was observed in saponin-treated cells. Reconstituted basement membrane, Matrigel, supported the growth and development several different multicellular structures from normal mammary organoids (e.g., ductal, webbed, stellate, and squamous colonies) or DMBA-induced mammary tumor (e.g., alveolar unit, foamy alveolar unit, squamous metaplasia, lobule-ductal, stellate, and webbed colony). In ginseng saponin-treated groups, webbed colonies were more and squamous colonies were less than control group. Moreover, the ductal colonies, marker tructure of well-differentiate mammary epithelial cells, were developed more in saponin-treated group than in control group. In conclusion, ginseng saponins affected on the differentiation of normal rat mammary epithelial cells and DMBA-induced mammary tumor cells in culture.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.384-391
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• 2015

It has been reported that Korean Red Ginseng has been manufactured for 1,123 y as described in the GoRyeoDoGyeong record. The Korean Red Ginseng manufactured by the traditional preparation method has its own chemical component characteristics. The ginsenoside content of the red ginseng is shown as Rg1: 3.3 mg/g, Re: 2.0 mg/g, Rb1: 5.8 mg/g, Rc:1.7 mg/g, Rb2: 2.3 mg/g, and Rd: 0.4 mg/g, respectively. It is known that Korean ginseng generally consists of the main root and the lateral or fine roots at a ratio of about 75:25. Therefore, the red ginseng extract is prepared by using this same ratio of the main root and lateral or fine roots and processed by the historical traditional medicine prescription. The red ginseng extract is prepared through a water extraction ($90^{\circ}C$ for 14-16 h) and concentration process (until its final concentration is 70-73 Brix at $50-60^{\circ}C$). The ginsenoside contents of the red ginseng extract are shown as Rg1: 1.3 mg/g, Re: 1.3 mg/g, Rb1: 6.4 mg/g, Rc:2.5 mg/g, Rb2: 2.3 mg/g, and Rd: 0.9 mg/g, respectively. Arginine-fructose-glucose (AFG) is a specific amino-sugar that can be produced by chemical reaction of the process when the fresh ginseng is converted to red ginseng. The content of AFG is 1.0-1.5% in red ginseng. Acidic polysaccharide, which has been known as an immune activator, is at levels of 4.5-7.5% in red ginseng. Therefore, we recommended that the chemical profiles of Korean Red Ginseng made through the defined traditional method should be well preserved and it has had its own chemical characteristics since its traditional development.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.697-703
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• 2020

Background: GS-3K8 and GINST, both of which are modified ginseng extracts, have never been examined in terms of their effectiveness for the prevention of acute respiratory illness (ARI) in humans. We conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility of performing a large-scale, randomized, controlled trial. Methods: This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study at a single center from October 2014 to March 2015. The 45 healthy applicants were randomly divided into the GS-3K8 (n = 15), GINST (n = 15), and placebo groups (n = 15). The study drug was administered as a capsule (500 mg/cap and 3000 mg/day). GS-3K8 contained 6.31 mg/g of Rg1, 15.05 mg/g of Re, 30.84 mg/g of Rb1, 15.02 mg/g of Rc, 12.44 mg/g of Rb2, 6.97 mg/g of Rd, 1.59 mg/g of Rg3, 3.25 mg/g of Rk1, and 4.84 mg/g of Rg5. GINST contained 7.54 mg/g of Rg1, 1.87 mg/g of Re, 5.42 mg/g of Rb1, 0.29 mg/g of Rc, 0.36 mg/g of Rb2, 0.70 mg/g of Rd, and 6.3 mg/g of compound K. The feasibility criteria were the rates of recruitment, drug compliance, and successful follow-up. The primary clinical outcome measure was the incidence of ARI. The secondary clinical outcome measures were the duration of symptoms. Results: The rate of recruitment was 11.3 participants per week. The overall rate of completed follow-up was 97.8%. The mean compliance rate was 91.64 ± 9.80%, 95.28 ± 5.75%, and 89.70 ± 8.99% in the GS-3K8, GINST, and placebo groups, respectively. The incidence of ARI was 64.3% (9/14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 31.4-91.1%), 26.7% (4/15; 95% CI, 4.3-49.0%), and 80.0% (12/15; 95% CI, 54.8-93.0%) in the GS-3K8, GINST, and placebo groups, respectively. The average days of symptoms were 3.89 ± 4.65, 9.25 ± 7.63, and 12.25 ± 12.69 in the GS-3K8, GINST, and placebo groups, respectively. Conclusion: The results support the feasibility of a full-scale trial. GS-3K8 and GINST appear to have a positive tendency toward preventing the development of ARI and reducing the symptom duration. A randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm these findings.