• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.861-866
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• 2010

We obtained hot-water extracts (HWE) and 70% (v/v) ethanol extracts (EE) from cultured wild ginseng roots (CWGR) and determined the saponin and total polyphenol contents, and antioxidant activities. The yields of freeze-dried powder from the HWE and EE were 27.86% and 18.33% (both w/w), respectively. The total polyphenol content of the EE (22.63 mg/g) was higher than that of the HWE (17.90 mg/g). Ginsenoside-Rb1 and -Rg1 contents of hot-air-dried CWGR were 17.90 mg/g and 22.63 mg/g, respectively. The electron-donating ability of HWE and EE were 2.82-60.58% and 3.88?70.88%, respectively, and the reducing powers ($OD_{700}$) were 0.02-0.17 and 0.07-1.90, respectively, at concentrations of 1-20 mg/mL. Thus, the HWE reducing power was markedly lower than that of the EE, but the SOD-like activity of the EE was significantly higher than that of the HWE. The nitrite-scavenging activities of HWE and EE were 9.25-19.18% and 11.94-53.49%, respectively, at concentrations of 1-20 mg/mL. Additionally, the TBARS (Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, % value) of the EE (1-20 mg/mL) was 9.18-66.59%, thus 1.9-2.8-fold greater than that of the HWE (4.74-24.88%). In conclusion, we provide experimental evidence that extracts of CWGR may be natural antioxidants.