• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 1986

The enzyme produced by a strain of Rhizopus japonicus was able to covert selectively ginsenoside $Rb_1$ which was the most abundant ginseng saponin, into ginsenoside Rd which was known to be superior to ginsenoside $Rb_1$ pharmaceutically. This specific conversion of ginsenoside $Rb_1$ without any change of other ginsenoside patterns was confirmed by thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatograpy quantitatively. The amount of ginsenoside Rd was increased to 4.8 and 34.7 folds by enzymatic conversion of ginsenoside $Rb_1$ in total saponin and ginsenoside Rb group saponin, respectively. The increased amount of ginsenoside Rd corresponded to total amount of released glucose and decreased amount of ginsenoside $Rb_1$ accurately.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.301-305
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• 1995

Considering the stimulatory effects of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer on the release of nitric oxide from bovine aortic endothelial cells in vitro and vasodilatation of rabbit pulmonary artery in vivo, the present study is designed to investigate the mechanism of nitric oxide release by ginsenosides in calf pulmonary artery endothelial cells, Nitric oxide release was determined in endothelial cells treated with ginsenosides and compared with those of the receptor-dependent agonists, bradykinin and ADP and the receptor-independent calcium ionophore $A_{23187}$. The results showed that total saponin and ginsenoside $Rg_1$, not $Rb_1$, stimulated nitric oxide release measured as conversion to L-citrulline. The nitric oxide releasing properties of total saponin and ginsenoside $Rg_1$ were different; total saponin stimulated only conversion to L-citrulline, like $A_{23187}$, while ginsenoside $Rg_1$ stimulated both L-arginine transport and conversion to L-citrulline, as bradykinin or ADP did.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.267-273
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• 1982

Among 12 kinds of ginsenosides in ginseng saponin, ginsenoside-Rb$_1$was contained the most abundantly. But ginsenoside-Rd which is similar to ginsenoside-Rb$_1$in structure, was known to be superior to ginsenoside-Rb$_1$pharmaceutically. In order to convert ginsenoside-Rb$_1$into ginsenoside-Rd by microbial enzyme treatment, a Rhizopus sp. was selected among various strais of molds found in rotten ginseng roots. Enzyme was prepared from the extract of wheat bran koji culture by ammonium sulfate precipitation (1.0 sat'd) and succeeding ammonium sulfate fractionation method (0.6-0.9 sat'd). For the purpose of use as substrate, saponins were purified by the several purification steps from alcohol extract of red ginseng roots. We obtained the total saponin which was composed of 36.5% of ginsenoside Rb$_1$, 12.2% of ginsenoside-Rd and other ginsenosides. For increase of ginsenoside-Rb$_1$ component ratio, we also obtained further purified ginsenoside-Rb group saponin containing 54.5% of ginsenoside-Rb$_1$, 1.1% of ginsenoside- Rd and other ginsenosides from purified the total saponin. In the enzymatic reaction system including the total saponin or the ginsenoside-Rb group saponin, we confirmed the specific conversion of ginsenoside-Rb$_1$to ginsenoside-Rd proportionally and no change of any other ginsenoside patterns by thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.532-539
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• 2018

Background: Heat treatments are applied to ginseng products in order to improve physiological activities through the conversion of ginsenosides, which are key bioactive components. During heat treatment, organic acids can affect ginsenoside conversion. Therefore, the influence of organic acids during heat treatment should be considered. Methods: Raw ginseng, crude saponin, and ginsenoside $Rb_1$ standard with different organic acids were treated at $130^{\circ}C$, and the chemical components, including ginsenosides and organic acids, were analyzed. Results: The organic acid content in raw ginseng was 5.55%. Organic acids were not detected in crude saponin that was not subjected to heat treatment, whereas organic acids were found in crude saponin subjected to heat treatment. Major ginsenosides ($Rb_1$, Re, and $Rg_1$) in ginseng and crude saponin were converted to minor ginsenosides at $130^{\circ}C$; the ginsenoside $Rb_1$ standard was very stable in the absence of organic acids and was converted into minor ginsenosides in the presence of organic acids at high temperatures. Conclusion: The major factor affecting ginsenoside conversion was organic acids in ginseng. Therefore, the organic acid content as well as ginsenoside content and processing conditions should be considered important factors affecting the quality of ginseng products.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2014

The transformation of ginsenoside Rb1 into a specific minor ginsenoside using Aspergillus niger KCCM 11239, as well as the identification of the transformed products and the pathway via thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography were evaluated to develop a new biologically active material. The conversion of ginsenoside Rb1 generated Rd, Rg3, Rh2, and compound K although the reaction rates were low due to the low concentration. In enzymatic conversion, all of the ginsenoside Rb1 was converted to ginsenoside Rd and ginsenoside Rg3 after 24 h of incubation. The crude enzyme (b-glucosidase) from A. niger KCCM 11239 hydrolyzed the ${\beta}$-($1{\rightarrow}6$)-glucosidic linkage at the C-20 of ginsenoside Rb1 to generate ginsenoside Rd and ginsenoside Rg3. Our experimental demonstration showing that A. niger KCCM 11239 produces the ginsenoside-hydrolyzing b-glucosidase reflects the feasibility of developing a specific bioconversion process to obtain active minor ginsenosides.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.456-462
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• 2005

More than seventy strains of aerobic bacteria showing ${\beta}$-glucosidase activity were isolated from a ginseng field, using a newly designed Esculin-R2A agar, and identified by their 16S rRNA gene sequences. Of these microorganisms, twelve strains could convert the major ginsenoside, $Rb_1$, to the pharmaceutically active minor ginsenoside Rd. Three strains, Burkholderia pyrrocinia GP16, Bacillus megaterium GP27 and Sphingomonas echinoides GP50, were phylogenetically studied, and observed to be most potent at converting ginsenoside $Rb_1$ almost completely within 48 h, as shown by TLC and HPLC analyses.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2014

According to the results of my study on the chromatographic analysis of fresh ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) roots, most of the contents of protopanxadiol ginsenosides $Rb_1$, Rc, $Rb_2$, and Rd are derived from the corresponding malonyl ginsenosides in fresh ginseng by a heat process. Also, I confirmed that acetyl ginsenosides are naturally occurring constituents in fresh ginseng, not decarboxylates from malonyl ginsenosides. Seven neutral ginsenosides $Rg_1$, Re, Rf, Rc, $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, and Rd were transformed to specific conversions in red ginseng preparation conditions. The conversion paths progress by three rules concluded from my study. These conversion rules are I: the ether bond is stable at positions 3 and 6 in the dammarane skeleton, II: the ether bond between sugars is stable in glycosides, and III: the ether bond to glycosides is unstable at position 20 in the dammarane skeleton.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.226-231
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• 2008

Ginsenosides have been regarded as the principal components responsible for the pharmacological and biological activities of ginseng. Absorption of major ginsenosides from the gastrointestinal tract is extremely low, when ginseng is orally administered. In order to improve absorption and its bioavailability, conversion of major ginsenosides into more active minor ginsenoside is very much required. Here, we isolated lactic acid bacterium (Lactobacillus brevis LH8) having ${\beta}-glucosidase$ activity from Kimchi. Bioconversion ginsenoside Rd by this bacterium in different temperatures was investigated. The maximum activities of crude enzymes precipitated by ethanol were shown in $30^{\circ}C$ and then gradually decreased. In order to compare the effect of pH, the crude enzymes of L. brevis LH8 were mixed in 20mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 3.5 to pH 8.0) and reacted ginsenoside Rd. Ginsenoside Rd was almost hydrolyzed between pH 6.0 and pH 12.0, but not hydrolyzed under pH 5.0 and above pH 13.0. Ginsenoside Rd was hydrolyzed after 48 h incubation, whereas ginsenoside F2 appeared from 48 h to 72 h, and ginsenoside Rd was almost converted into compound K after 72 h.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.203-207
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• 2014

Background: There is limited understanding of the effect of dietary components on the absorption of ginsenosides and their metabolites into the blood. Methods: This study investigated the pharmacokinetics of the ginseng extract and its main constituent ginsenoside Rb1 in rats with or without pretreatment with a prebiotic fiber, NUTRIOSE, by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. When ginsenoside Rb1 was incubated with rat feces, its main metabolite was ginsenoside Rd. Results: When the intestinal microbiota of rat feces were cultured in vitro, their ginsenoside Rd-forming activities were significantly induced by NUTRIOSE. When ginsenoside Rb1 was orally administered to rats, the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma drug concentratione-time curve (AUC) for the main metabolite, ginsenoside Rd, were $72.4{\pm}31.6ng/mL$ and $663.9{\pm}285.3{\mu}g{\cdot}h/mL$, respectively. When the ginseng extract (2,000 mg/kg) was orally administered, Cmax and AUC for ginsenoside Rd were $906.5{\pm}330.2ng/mL$ and $11,377.3{\pm}4,470.2{\mu}g{\cdot}h/mL$, respectively. When ginseng extract was orally administered to rats fed NUTRIOSE containing diets (2.5%, 5%, or 10%), Cmax and AUC were increased in the NUTRIOSE receiving groups in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: These findings reveal that intestinal microflora promote metabolic conversion of ginsenoside Rb1 and ginseng extract to ginsenoside Rd and promote its absorption into the blood in rats. Its conversion may be induced by prebiotic diets such as NUTRIOSE.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.349-360
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• 2020

Bio-conversion manufacturing technology has been developed to produce ginsenoside Rd which is increasingly in demand as a cosmetic material due to various possibilities related to improving skin function. In order to convert ginsenoside Rb1 which is contained in red ginseng saponin (RGS) into Rd, several commercial enzymes were tested. Viscoflow MG was found to be the most efficient. In order to optimize the conversion of RGS to ginsenoside Rd by enzymatic transition was carried out using response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken design (BBD). The main independent variables were RGS concentration, enzyme concentration, and reaction time. Conversion of ginsenoside Rd was performed under 17 conditions selected according to BBD model and optimization conditions were analyzed. The concentration of the converted ginsenoside Rd ranged from 0.3113 g/L to 0.5277 g/L, and the highest production volume was obtained under condition of reacting 2% RGS and 1.25% enzyme for 13.5 hours. Consequently, RGS concentration, enzyme concentration which is 0.05 less than p-value and among the interactions between the independent variables, the interaction between enzyme concentration and reaction time was confirmed to be the most influential.