• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.227-236
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential use of ginseng leaf as a cosmetic material. In this research, we employed enzymatic treated ginseng leaf by using Ultraflo L to improve the recovery of ginsenosides from the ginseng leaf and studied the biological activities and skin safety of the enzymatic treated ginseng leaf for use as a cosmetic material. The total ginsenoside contents of the non-enzymatic treated ginseng leaf (NEGL) and Ultraflo L treated ginseng leaf (UTGL) were 271 and 406 mg/g, respectively. The level of metabolite ginsenosides (sum of Rg2, Rg3, Rg5, Rk1, compound K, Rh1, Rh2, and F2) was higher in UTGL (93.1 mg) compared to NEGL (62.4 mg) in one gram ginseng leaf extract. The increase in amounts of ginsenoside types in UTGL compared to NEGL was generally 140% to 157%. UTGL exhibited relatively higher 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate ($IC_{50}$, 2.8 mg/mL) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt ($IC_{50}$, 1.6 mg/mL) radical scavenging activities compared to NEGL (4.8 mg/mL and 2.2 mg/mL). The UTGL group showed normalized hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation and visual wrinkling grade induced-UVB exposure. The UTGL did not induce any adverse reactions such as erythema and edema on intact skin sites; however, some guinea pigs treated with UTGL on abraded skin sites showed very slight erythema. The primary irritation index (PII) score of UTGL was 0.05 and it was classified as a practically non-irritating material (PII, 0 to 0.5). In skin sensitization tests with guinea pigs, UTGL had a positive rate of skin sensitization at 40%, and the mean evaluation score was 0.4.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.20-20
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• 2010

Panax ginseng C.A Meyer is frequently taken orally as a traditional herbal medicine in Asian countries. The major components of ginseng are ginsenoside, which are pharmaceutical activity. The six major ginsenosides, including Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re and Rg1 account for 90% of total ginsenosides. Even though the minor ginsenosides, including Rg3, Rh2 and compound K has high pharmacetical activities, the price of minor ginsenosides is too high. Therefore we isolated the gypenoside V and made it converted to minor ginsenosides. In the plant Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino, gypenosdie V was presented as dominant saponin (content about 2.4%), and was similar to protopanaxadol type ginsenosides such as ginsenoside Rb1. In this study, we confirmed that the coversion of gypenoside V to minor ginsenosides after using the various treatment such as heating, acid treatment, commercial edible enzyme, and lactobacillus. Consequently, we optimizied the transformation of gypenoside V to minor ginsenoside using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (LC/TOF/MS).

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.329-338
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• 2017

This study was investigated the changes of quality stability and physicochemical characteristics of the Korean red ginsengs stored for a long times over 20 years. The Korean red ginsengs were stored for 4 to 22 years in canned packaging with polypropylene film and wooden box at room temperatures. The unusal phenomena such as discoloration and pin hole in packaging were not observed. General bacteria showed the vlaues of below 100 CFU/g, coliform groups and molds were not found in any samples stored for 22 year. Any samples also were not detected in mycotoxins. The contents of moisture, ash and crude saponin were the levels of 10.6~11.1%, 3.8~4.2% and 4.1~4.7% during the whole storage periods, respectively. The contents of maltol, which has been known as characteristic flavour and antioxidant of Korean red ginseng, showed remarkably increasing tendency from 0.10 mg/g for 4 years to 2.53 mg/g for 22 years during the storage. The contents of AFG (arginyl-fructosyl-glucose), arginine and free sugar were slightly decreased. Acidic polysaccharide and ginsenoside were not changed significantly during the storage periods. The contents of acidic polysaccharide and total ginsenosides were the 75.1~76.3 mg/g and 15.1~16.6 mg/g, respectively. The sums of ginsenoside-Rg1,-Rb1 and -Rg3s were the ranges of 9.3~9.9 mg/g and PD (ginsenoside-Rb1, -Rb2,-Rc,-Rd,-Rg3s,-Rg3r)/PT (ginsenoside-Rg1,-Rg2,-Re,-Rf,-Rh1) saponin ratios were the levels of 1.4~1.5. These results suggest that Korean red ginsengs stored for long periods show relatively stable quaility stabilities and not significantly changed the contents of ginsenoside and polysaccharide during the storage up to 22 years.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.606-617
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• 2019

Background: The Panax ginseng berry extract (GBE) is well known to have an antidiabetic effect. The aim of this study is to evaluate and investigate the protective effect of ultrasonication-processed P. ginseng berry extract (UGBE) compared with GBE on liver fibrosis induced by mild bile duct ligation (MBDL) model in rats. After ultrasonication process, the composition ratio of ginsenoside in GBE was changed. The component ratio of ginsenosides Rh1, Rh4, Rg2, Rg3, Rk1, Rk3, and F4 in the extract was elevated. Methods: In this study, the protective effect of the newly developed UGBE was evaluated on hepatotoxicity and neuronal damage in MBDL model. Silymarin (150 mg/kg) was used for positive control. UGBE (100 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg), GBE (250 mg/kg), and silymarin (150 mg/kg) were orally administered for 6 weeks after MBDL surgery. Results: The MBDL surgery induced severe hepatotoxicity that leads to liver inflammation in rats. Also, the serum ammonia level was increased by MBDL surgery. However, the liver dysfunction of MBDL surgery-operated rats was attenuated by UGBE treatment via myeloid differentiation factor 88-dependent Toll-like receptor 4 signaling pathways. Conclusion: UGBE has a protective effect on liver fibrosis induced by MBDL in rats through inhibition of the TLR4 signaling pathway in liver.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2005

Ginseng Radix, the root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer has been used in Eastern Asia for 2000 years as a tonic and restorative, promoting health and longevity. Two varieties are commercially available: white ginseng(Ginseng Radix Alba) is produced by air-drying the root, while red ginseng(Ginseng Radix Rubra) is produced by steaming the root followed by drying. These two varieties of different processing have somewhat differences by heat processing between them. During the heat processing for preparing red ginseng, it has been found to exhibit inactivation of catabolic enzymes, thereby preventing deterioration of ginseng quality and the increased antioxidant-like substances which inhibit lipid peroxide formation, and also good gastro-intestinal absorption by gelatinization of starch. Moreover, studies of changes in ginsenosides composition due to different processing of ginseng roots have been undertaken. The results obtained showed that red ginseng differ from white ginseng due to the lack of acidic malonyl-ginsenosides. The heating procedure in red ginseng was proved to degrade the thermally unstable malonyl-ginsenoside into corresponding netural ginsenosides. Also the steaming process of red ginseng causes degradation or transformation of neutral ginsenosides. Ginsenosides $Rh_2,\;Rh_4,\;Rs_3,\;Rs_4\;and\;Rg_5$, found only in red ginseng, have been known to be hydrolyzed products derived from original saponin by heat processing, responsible for inhibitory effects on the growth of cancer cells through the induction of apoptosis. 20(S)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ was also formed in red ginseng and was shown to exhibit vasorelaxation properties, antimetastatic activities, and anti-platelet aggregation activity. Recently, steamed red ginseng at high temperature was shown to provide enhance the yield of ginsenosides $Rg_3\;and\;Rg_5$ characteristic of red ginseng Additionally, one of non-saponin constituents, panaxytriol, was found to be structually transformed from polyacetylenic alcohol(panaxydol) showing cytotoxicity during the preparation of red ginseng and also maltol, antioxidant maillard product, from maltose and arginyl-fructosyl-glucose, amino acid derivative, from arginine and maltose. In regard to the in vitro and in vivo comparative biological activities, red ginseng was reported to show more potent activities on the antioxidant effect, anticarcinogenic effect and ameliorative effect on blood circulation than those of white ginseng. In oriental medicine, the ability of red ginseng to supplement the vacancy(허) was known to be relatively stronger than that of white ginseng, but very few are known on its comparative clinical studies. Further investigation on the preclinical and clinical experiments are needed to show the differences of indications and efficacies between red and white ginsengs on the basis of oriental medicines.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.52-62
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• 2006

In previous reports we demonstrated that ginsenosides, active ingredients of Panax ginseng, affect some subsets of voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels in neuronal cells expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. However, the major component(s) of ginseng that affect cloned $Ca^{2+}$ channel subtypes such as ${\alpha}_{1C}$(L)-, ${\alpha}_{1B}$(N)-, ${\alpha}_{1A}$(P/Q)-, ${\alpha}_{1E}$(R)- and ${\alpha}_{1G}$(T) have not been identified. Here, we used the two-microelectrode voltage clamp technique to characterize the effects of ginsenosides and ginsenoside metabolites on $Ba^{2+}$ currents ($I_{Ba}$) in Xenopus oocytes expressing five different $Ca^{2+}$ channel subtypes. Exposure to ginseng total saponins (GTS) induced voltage-dependent, dose-dependent and reversible inhibition of the five channel subtypes, with particularly strong inhibition of the ${\alpha}_{1G}$-type. Of the various ginsenosides, $Rb_1$, Rc, Re, Rf, $Rg_1$, $Rg_3$, and $Rh_2$, ginsenoside $Rg_3$ also inhibited all five channel subtypes and ginsenoside $Rh_2$ had most effect on the ${\alpha}_{1C}$- and ${\alpha}_{1E}$-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels. Compound K (CK), a protopanaxadiol ginsenoside metabolite, strongly inhibited only the ${\alpha}_{1G}$-type of $Ca^{2+}$ channel, whereas M4, a protopanaxatriol ginsenoside metabolite, had almost no effect on any of the channels. $Rg_3$, $Rh_2$, and CK shifted the steady-state activation curves but not the inactivation curves in the depolarizing direction in the ${\alpha}_{1B}$- and ${\alpha}_{1A}$-types. These results reveal that $Rg_3$, $Rh_2$ and CK are the major inhibitors of $Ca^{2+}$ channels in Panax ginseng, and that they show some $Ca^{2+}$ channel selectivity.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.197-202
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• 1982

Kinetic study for the thermal degradation of ginsenosides in ginseng extract was conducted. The results indicate that the thermal degradation followed first order kinetics and rate constants varied substantially depending on the types of ginsenosides and heat treatment temperatures. Activation energy calculated by Arrhenius plots ranged from 16.80 kcal/mole to 30.10 kcal/mole and $Q_{10}$ values ranged from 2.01 to 3.49. Correlation coefficients between the change of ginsenoside contents by thermal degradation and heat treatment temperature were $0.995{\sim}0.999$. The dependence on temperatures of the decomposition rate constant of total ginsenoside can be expressed as $k=4.574{\times}10^8$ exp(8898.8/T).

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.175-175
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• 1998

We reported a new processed ginseng with increased biological activities which is named as “sun ginseng (SG)”. Study on the saponin constituents of SG led to the isolation of seven new ginsenosides named as ginsenoside Rk$_1$, Rk$_2$, Rk$_3$, Rs$_4$, Rs$\_$5/, Rs$\_$6/ and Rs$\_$7/. Ginsenoside Rk$_1$, Rk$_2$ and Rk$_3$ were the Δ$\^$20(21),24(25)/-diene dammarane compounds, while ginsenoside Rs$_4$, Rs$\_$5/, Rs$\_$6/ and Rs$\_$7/ were mono-acetylated compounds. Many other ginsenosides which were reported as minor constituents of red ginseng were also isolated, which include 20(S)-Rg$_3$, 20(R)-Rg$_3$, Rg$\_$5/, Rg$\_$6/, F$_4$, Rh$_4$, 20(S)-Rs$_3$ and 20(R)-Rs$_3$. The major ginsenosides of SG were 20(S)-Rg$_3$, 20(R)-Rg$_3$, Rk$_1$ and Rg$\_$5/.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.392-397
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• 2015

Background: Red ginseng (RG) is processed from Panax ginseng via several methods including heat treatment, mild acid hydrolysis, and microbial conversion to transform the major ginsenosides into minor ginsenosides, which have greater pharmaceutical activities. During the fermentation process using microbial strains in a machine for making red ginseng, a change of composition occurs after heating. Therefore, we confirmed that fermentation had occurred using only microbial strains and evaluated the changes in the ginsenosides and their chemical composition. Methods: To confirm the fermentation by microbial strains, the fermented red ginseng was made with microbial strains (w-FRG) or without microbial strains (n-FRG), and the fermentation process was performed to tertiary fermentation. The changes in the ginsenoside composition of the self-manufactured FRG using the machine were evaluated using HPLC, and the 20 ginsenosides were analyzed. Additionally, we investigated changes of the reducing sugar and polyphenol contents during fermentation process. Results: In the fermentation process, ginsenosides Re, Rg1, and Rb1 decreased but ginsenosides Rh1, F2, Rg3, and Compound Y (C.Y) increased in primary FRG more than in the raw ginseng and RG. The content of phenolic compounds was high in FRG and the highest in the tertiary w-FRG. Moreover, the reducing sugar content was approximately three times higher in the tertiary w-FRG than in the other n-FRG. Conclusion: As the results indicate, we confirmed the changes in the ginsenoside content and the role of microbial strains in the fermentation process.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2010

Thirty-four strains of Lactobacillus species were isolated from soil and eight of these isolates (M1-4 and P1-4) were capable of growing on red ginseng agar. The M1 and P2 strains were determined to be L. plantarum and other strains (M2, M3, M4, P1, P3 and P4) were determined to be L. brevis. Fermentation of red ginseng extract (RGE) with strains M1, M2, P2 and P4 resulted in a low level of total carbohydrate content (174.3, 170.0, 158.8 and 164.8 mg/mL, respectively). RGE fermented by M3 showed a higher level of uronic acid than the control. The polyphenol levels in RGE fermented by M1, P1 and P2 (964.9, 941.7 and $965.3\;{\mu}g/mL$, respectively) were higher than the control ($936.8\;{\mu}g/mL$). Total saponin contents in fermented RGE (except M1) were higher than the control. RGE fermented by M2 and M3 had the highest levels of total ginsenosides (31.7 and 32.7 mg/mL, respectively). The levels of the ginsenoside Rg3 increased from 2.6 mg/mL (control) to 3.0 mg/mL (M2) or 3.1 mg/mL (M3). RGE fermented by M2 and M3 also had the highest levels of Rg5+Rk1 (7.7 and 8.3 mg/mL, respectively). Metabolite contents of ginsenoside (sum of CK, Rh1, Rg5, Rk1, Rg3 and Rg2) of M2 (13.0 mg/mL) and M3 (13.9 mg/mL) were also at a high level among the fermented RGE. Protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol content of ginsenoside of M2 (10.9 and 5.4 mg/mL, respectively) and M3 (11.0 and 5.7 mg/mL, respectively) were at higher levels than other fermented RGE.