• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2017

Background: Some differences have been reported in the biotransformation of ginsenosides, probably due to the types of materials used such as ginseng, enzymes, and microorganisms. Moreover, most microorganisms used for transforming ginsenosides do not meet food-grade standards. We investigated the statistical conversion rate of major ginsenosides in ginsenosides model culture during fermentation by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to estimate possible pathways. Methods: Ginsenosides standard mix was used as a model culture to facilitate clear identification of the metabolic changes. Changes in eight ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg1, and Rg2) during fermentation with six strains of LAB were investigated. Results: In most cases, the residual ginsenoside level decreased by 5.9-36.8% compared with the initial ginsenoside level. Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Re continuously decreased during fermentation. By contrast, Rd was maintained or slightly increased after 1 d of fermentation. Rg1 and Rg2 reached their lowest values after 1-2 d of fermentation, and then began to increase gradually. The conversion of Rd, Rg1, and Rg2 into smaller deglycosylated forms was more rapid than that of Rd from Rb1, Rb2, and Rc, as well as that of Rg1 and Rg2 from Re during the first 2 d of fermentation with LAB. Conclusion: Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Re continuously decreased, whereas ginsenosides Rd, Rg1, and Rg2 increased after 1-2 d of fermentation. This study may provide new insights into the metabolism of ginsenosides and can clarify the metabolic changes in ginsenosides biotransformed by LAB.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.206-213
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• 2022

Ginsenoside Rb2 is an active protopanaxadiol-type saponin, widely existing in the stem and leave of ginseng. Rb2 has recently been the focus of studies for pharmaceutical properties. This paper provides an overview of the preclinical and clinical pharmacokinetics for Rb2, which exhibit poor absorption, rapid tissue distribution and slow excretion through urine. Pharmacological studies indicate a beneficial role of Rb2 in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, obesity, tumor, photoaging, virus infection and cardiovascular problems. The underlying mechanism is involved in an inhibition of oxidative stress, ROS generation, inflammation and apoptosis via regulation of various cellular signaling pathways and molecules, including AKT/SHP, MAPK, EGFR/SOX2, TGF-β1/Smad, SIRT1, GPR120/AMPK/HO-1 and NF-κB. This work would provide a new insight into the understanding and application of Rb2. However, its therapeutic effects have not been clinically evaluated. Further studies should be aimed at the clinical treatment of Rb2.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.301-307
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• 2011

To evaluate the difference in expressing pharmacological effects of ginseng by intestinal microflora between Koreans, metabolic activities of ginseng, ginsenoside $Rb_1$ and $Rg_1$ by 100 fecal specimens were measured. The ${\beta}$-glucosidase activity for p-nitrophenyl-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside was 0 to 0.42 mmol/min/mg and its average activity (mean${\pm}$SD) was $0.10{\pm}0.07$ mmol/min/mg. The metabolic activities of ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 were 0.01 to 0.42 and 0.01 to 0.38 pmol/min/mg, respectively. Their average activities were $0.25{\pm}0.08$ and $0.15{\pm}0.09$ pmol/min/mg, respectively. The compound K-forming activities from ginsenoside Rb1 and ginseng extract were 0 to 0.11 and 0 to 0.02 pmol/min/mg, respectively. Their average compound K-forming activities were $0.24{\pm}0.09$ pmol/min/ mg and $2.14{\pm}3.66$ fmol/min/mg, respectively. These activities all were not different between males and females, or between ages. Although compound K-forming activity from the aqueous extract of ginseng was low compared to that from ginenoside $Rb_1$, their profiles were similar to those of isolated compounds. Based on these findings, we believe that the intestinal bacterial metabolic activities of ginseng components are variable in individuals and may be used as selection markers for responders to ginseng.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.222-227
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• 1980

Ginsenosides in two parts (central fart and epidermis-cortex) of main body of Korea ginseng root (purple stem variety) were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography in relation to purple color intensity on stem. Pattern similarity of saponin by simple correlation of ginsenosides between the same or different parts of root in the same or different group showed that stem color was not associated with saponin pattern in two parts. Saponin pattern was slightly different between different parts regardless of stem color. The order of each ginsenoside content was $Rg_1>Re>Rb_1>Rb_2>Rc>Rg_2{\geq}Rd>Rf$ in epidermis-cortex while $Rg_1>Re{\geq}Rg_2{\geq}Rb_1{\gg}Rb_2>Rc{\geq}Rd>Rf$ in central part.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.282-287
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• 2001

This study was carried out to investigate the difference of ginsenoside compositions in crude ginseng saponins prepared by five different methods including three new methods. Two known methods are hot methanol(MeOH) extraction/n-butanol(n-BuOH) fractionation and hot MeOH extraction/Diaion HP-20 adsorption/MeOH elution. Three new methods are hot MeOH extraction/cation AG 50W $absorption/H_2O$ elution/n-BuOH extraction, cool MeOH extraction/Diaion HP-20 adsorption/MeOH elution and direct extraction with ethyl acetate(EtOAc)/n-BuOH. Analysis of ginsenoside composition in the crude saponins by conventional HPLC/RI(Refractive Index) did not show great difference between methods except EtOAc/n-BuOH method. However, HPLC/ELSD (evaporative light scattering detector) employing gradient mobile phase afforded fine resolution of ginsenoside Rf, $Rg_1$ and $Rh_1$, and great difference of ginsenoside compositions between methods. LC/MS revealed that large amount of prosapogenins were produced during the pass through the cation exchange (AG 50W) column being strongly acidic. Six major ginsenosides such as $Rb_1,w;Rb_2,$ Rc, Rd, Re and $Rg_1$, 5 prosapogenins and one chikusetsusaponin were identified by LC/MS. A newly established HPLC method employing ODS column and gradient mobile phase of $KH_2PO_4/CH_3CN$ revealed that malonyl ginsenosides were detected only in the crude saponin obtained from cool MeOH extraction.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.326-334
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• 2019

Background: The objective of our study was to analyze the neuroprotective effects of ginsenoside derivatives Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg1, and Rg3 against glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity in HT22 hippocampal mouse neuron cells. Methods: The neuroprotective effect of ginsenosides were evaluated by measuring cell viability. Protein expressions of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Bcl2, Bax, and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) were determined by Western blot analysis. The occurrence of apoptotic and death cells was determined by flow cytometry. Cellular level of $Ca^{2+}$ and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were evaluated by image analysis using the fluorescent probes Fluor-3 and 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, respectively. In vivo efficacy of neuroprotection was evaluated using the Mongolian gerbil of ischemic brain injury model. Result: Reduction of cell viability by glutamate (5 mM) was significantly suppressed by treatment with ginsenoside Rb2. Phosphorylation of MAPKs, Bax, and nuclear AIF was gradually increased by treatment with 5 mM of glutamate and decreased by co-treatment with Rb2. The occurrence of apoptotic cells was decreased by treatment with Rb2 ($25.7{\mu}M$). Cellular $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS levels were decreased in the presence of Rb2, and in vivo data indicated that Rb2 treatment (10 mg/kg) significantly diminished the number of degenerated neurons. Conclusion: Our results suggest that Rb2 possesses neuroprotective properties that suppress glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. The molecular mechanism of Rb2 is by suppressing the MAPKs activity and AIF translocation.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.255-259
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• 2017

This study was conducted to provide basic information on ginseng saponin of dried ginseng radices. In order to achieve the proposed objective ginsenoside compositions of dried ginseng radices extract with 70% ethyl alcohol were examined by HPLC. The total saponin content, the sum of all ginsenosides, showed that Wild simulated ginseng (WSG), White fine ginseng (WFG), Skin White ginseng (SWG), and White ginseng (WG) stood at 2.510%, 1.643%, 0.587, and 0.429%, respectively. WSG in PPD/PPT ratio was highest at 3.190, WFG (1.934), WG (1.600), SWG (1.386) in order. In the content of ginsenoside Rb1, one of the marker compounds of ginseng, WSG (1.095%) showed the highest content, and WFG (0.527%), SWG (0.246%), WG (0.133%) in this order. The content of ginsenoside Rb1 of WSG (1.095%) was 4.5 times higher than SWG (0.246%). WSG (0.230%) showed the highest content in ginsenoside Rg1, a marker compounds of ginseng, followed by WFG (0.180%), SWG (0.141%) and WG (0.086%). The content of ginsenoside Rg1 of WSG (0.230%) was 1.6 times higher than SWG (0.141%).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.390-396
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• 2008

For evaluating the quality of ginseng, simple and fast analysis methods are needed to determine the ginsenoside content of the ginseng products. The aim of this study was therefore to optimize conditions for fast analysis of the ginsenosides, the active ingredients in extracts of Korean red ginseng. When tandem HPLC mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was used, four forms of ginsenoside, Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Re, were readily separated in seven minutes using a gradient mobile phase (acetonitrile and water containing acetic acid). This is the shortest separation time reported among the studies of major ginsenoside analysis. When gradient HPLC with UV detection was used, the detection limit was high, but separation of these four ginsenosides required 25 minutes using acetonitrile and water containing formic acid as a mobile phase. HPLC-MS/MS was able to separate ginsenoside Rg1 easily regardless of the mobile phase condition, but the HPLC-UV could not separate Rg1 because acetonitrile concentration in the mobile phase had to be maintained below 20%. Ginsenoside peaks were clearer and had more sensitive detection limits when Korean red ginseng extract was analyzed by the HPLC-MS/MS, but the UV detection was useful for chromatographic fingerprinting of all four major ginsenosides of the extract: Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Re. Extracts were found to contain 2.17 mg, 1.51 mg, 1.29 mg, and 0.46 mg of ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Re, respectively, per gram weight. The ratios of each ginsenoside in the extracts were 1.0 : 0.7 : 0.6 : 0.2, respectively. Taken together, the results indicate that HPLC-MS/MS spectrometry could be the most useful method for rapid analysis of even small amounts of major ginsenosides, while HPLC with UV detection could also be used for rapid analysis of major ginsenosides and for quality control of ginseng products.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.712-718
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• 2011

Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is frequently used in Asian countries as a traditional medicine. The major components of ginseng are ginsenosides. Among these, ginsenoside compound K has been reported to prevent the formation of malignancy and metastasis of cancer by blocking the formation of tumor and suppressing the invasion of cancer cells. In this study, ginsenoside $Rb_1$ was converted into compound K, via secreted ${\beta}$-glucosidase enzyme from the Leuconostoc lactis DC201 isolated, which was extracted from Kimchi. The strain DC201 was suspended and cultured in MRS broth at $37^{\circ}C$. Subsequently, the residue from the cultured broth supernatant was precipitated with EtOH and then dissolved in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) to obtain an enzyme liquid. Meanwhile, the crude enzyme solution was mixed with ginsenoside $Rb_1$ at a ratio of 1:4 (v/v).The reaction was carried out at $30^{\circ}C$ and 190 rpm for 72 hours, and then analyzed by TLC and HPLC. The result showed that ginsenoside Rb1 was transformed into compound K after 72 hours post reaction.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.432-437
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• 1991

A mixture of 20(R)- and 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg$_{3}$ was obtained under mild acidic hydrolysis from protopanaxadiol saponins, ginsenosides Rb$_{1}$, Rb$_{2}$, Rc and Rd. The product was acetylated to give the peracetates, which were further converted into 20(R)-ginsenoside Rg$_{3}$, 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg$_{3}$, 20(R)-ginsenoside Rh$_{2}$ and 20(S)-ginsenoside Rh$_{2}$ by the direct alkaline treatment depending upon two kinds of temperature conditions respectively. The structure and physicochemical properties of a prosapogenin, 20(R)-ginsenoside Rh$_{2}$, were investigated.