• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1136-1140
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• 2004

Red ginseng and fermented red ginseng were prepared, and their composition of ginsenosides and antiischemic effect were investigated. When ginseng was steamed at 98-$100{\circ}C$ for 4h and dried for 5h at $60{\circ}C$, and extracted with alcohol, its main components were ginsenoside $Rg_3$ > ginsenoside $Rg_1$> ginsenoside $Rg_2$. When the ginseng was suspended in water and fermented for 5 days by previously cultured Bifidobacterium H-1 and freeze-dried (fermented red ginseng), its main components were compound K > ginsenoside $Rg_3{\geq}$ ginsenoside $Rg_2$. Orally administered red ginseng extract did not protect ischemia-reperfusion brain injury. However, fermented red ginseng significantly protected ischemica-reperfusion brain injury. These results suggest that ginsenoside Rh2 and compound K, which was found to be at a higher content in fermented red ginseng than red ginseng, may improve ischemic brain injury.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.551-553
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• 1996

A genuine dammarane glycoside, named ginsenoside $Rg_{5}$, has been isolated by repeated column chromatography and preparative HPLC from the MeOH extract of Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer). The chemical structure of ginsenoside$ Rg_{5}$ was determined as $3-O-[{\beta}-D-glucopyranosyl (1{\rightarrow}2)-{\beta}-D-glucopyranosyl]$ dammar-20(22), $24-diene-3{\beta},12{\beta}-diol$ by spectral and chemical methods. The stereostructure of a double bond at C-20(22) of ginsenoside $Rg_{5}$ was characterized as (E) from the chemical shift of C-21 in the $^{13}C-NMR $and a NOESY experiment in the $^{1}H-NMR$.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.635-644
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• 2019

Background: To increase the pharmacological effects of red ginseng (RG, the steamed root of Panax ginseng Meyer), RG products modified by heat process or fermentation have been developed. However, the antiallergic effects of RG and modified/fermented RG have not been simultaneously examined. Therefore, we examined the allergic rhinitis (AR)-inhibitory effects of water-extracted RG (wRG), 50% ethanol-extracted RG (eRG), and bifidobacteria-fermented eRG (fRG) in vivo. Methods: RBL-2H3 cells were stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate/A23187. Mice with AR were prepared by treatment with ovalbumin. Allergic markers IgE, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-4, and IL-5 were assayed in the blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, nasal mucosa, and colon using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Mast cells, eosinophils, and Th2 cell populations were assayed using a flow cytometer. Results: RG products potently inhibited IL-4 expression in phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate/A23187-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells. Of tested RG products, fRG most potently inhibited IL-4 expression. RG products also alleviated ovalbumin-induced AR in mice. Of these, fRG most potently reduced nasal allergy symptoms and blood IgE levels. fRG treatment also reduced IL-4 and IL-5 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, nasal mucosa, and reduced mast cells, eosinophils, and Th2 cell populations. Furthermore, treatment with fRG reduced IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 levels in the colon and restored ovalbumin-suppressed Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria populations and ovalbumin-induced Firmicutes population in gut microbiota. Treatment with ginsenoside Rd significantly alleviated ovalbumin-induced AR in mice. Conclusion: fRG and ginsenoside Rd may alleviate AR by suppressing IgE, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 expression and restoring the composition of gut microbiota.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.1194-1200
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the compositional changes of ginsenosides and phenolic acids of ginseng leaf by fermentation in order to promote the utilization of ginseng leaf. The chief ginsenosides in non-fermented ginseng leaf (NFGL) were ginsenoside-Rg1 (26.0 mg/g), -Re (47.3 mg/g) and -Rd (23.9 mg/g). By fermentation, ginsenoside-Rg1, -Rb1, -Rb2, -Rb3, -Rc and -Re were decreased tremendously and new ginsenoside-Rh2, -Rh1, -Rg2 and -Rg3 appeared. Especially, ginsenoside-Rg3 (3.7 mg/g) on FGL was increased 15-fold compared to that of NFGL (0.2 mg/g). Total phenolic compound content of NFGL and FGL measured by colorimetric analysis was 350.4 and 312.5 mg%, respectively. There were 8 free and 6 ester forms of phenolic acids in NFGL. Among them, content of ferulic acid was the highest, comprised of 12.6 and 50.7 mg%, respectively. In FGL, total content of protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and vanillic acid were increased by 28, 5 and 7.8 fold and ferulic acid was decreased greatly. Tyrosinase inhibitory activity of FGL was stronger than NFGL, while electron donating abilities of FGL were similar to NFGL.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.294-304
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• 2009

Ginsenosides are among the most well-known traditional herbal medicines frequently used for the treatment of various symptoms in South Korea. The neuroprotective effects of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ (G-$Rg_3$) on cholesterol-oxide-(CO)-induced neurotoxicity were investigated through the analyses of rat brains. The recently accumulated reports show that ginseng saponins (GTS), the major active ingredients of Panax ginseng, have protective effects against neurotoxin insults. In the present study, the neuroprotective effects of G-$Rg_3$ on CO-induced hippocampal excitotoxicity were examined in vivo. The in-vitro studies using rat cultured hippocampal neurons revealed that G-$Rg_3$ treatment significantly inhibited CO-induced hippocampal cell death. G-$Rg_3$ treatment not only significantly reduced CO-induced DNA damage but also attenuated CO-induced apoptosis. The in-vivo studies that were conducted revealed that the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) pre-administration of G-$Rg_3$ significantly reduced i.c.v. CO-induced hippocampal damage in rats. To examine the mechanisms underlying the in-vitro and in-vivo neuroprotective effects of G-$Rg_3$ against CO-induced hippocampal excitotoxicity, the effect of G-$Rg_3$ on the CO-induced elevations of the apoptotic cells in cultured hippocampal cells was examined, and it was found that G-$Rg_3$ treatment inhibited CO-induced apoptosis. The histopathological evaluation demonstrated that G-$Rg_3$ significantly diminished the apoptosis in the hippocampus and also spared the hippocampal CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus neurons. G-$Rg_3$ also significantly improved the CO-caused behavioral impairment. G-$Rg_3$ itself had no effect, however, on the CO-induced inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase activity (data not shown). These results collectively indicate the G-$Rg_3$-induced neuroprotection against CO in rat hippocampus. With regard to the wide use of G-$Rg_3$, this agent is potentially beneficial in treating CO-induced brain injury.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.269-272
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• 2013

MGB-20 findings show that the ginseng berry extracts that had been processed with microwave and vinegar for 20 min peaked in the level of ginsenoside Rg2 (2.28%) and Rh1 (1.28%). MGB-1 peaked in the level of ginsenoside Rg3 (1.13%) in the ginseng berry extract processed with microwave and vinegar for 1 min.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.349-355
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• 2018

Ginsenoside Rg5, one of the protopanaxadiol ginsenosides of wood-cultivated ginseng, has been implicated in various diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and hypertension; however, its angiogenic activity and molecular mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. Here, we found that wood-cultivated ginseng extract and ginsenoside Rg5 increase in vitro proliferation, migration, and tube-like structure formation, which are typical phenomena associated with angiogenesis, in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Moreover, Ginsenoside Rg5 stimulated the phosphorylation of Akt, endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS), and extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, which are well-known signal mediators of the angiogenic pathway. Furthermore, Ginsenoside Rg5 did not accelerate the activation of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 which are inflammatory response mediators. These results suggest that wood-cultivated ginseng extract and ginsenoside Rg5 stimulated in vitro angiogenesis by activating the Akt/eNOS- and ERK1/2-dependent signal pathways without inducing vascular inflammation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.497-503
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• 2011

In order to enhance bioactive functionalities of ginseng, an acid impregnation processing was applied as a pre-treatment in producing red ginseng. Acid impregnation studies were conducted, and acids (ascorbic, malic, and citric acid) were selected. The optimal concentration of each acid was investigated in this study in terms of ginsenoside contents. The most concerned ginsenoside, $Rg_3$ was increased by ascorbic, malic, and citric acid pre-treated red ginseng up to 1 M acid concentration. In the case of ascorbic acid pre-treated red ginseng, $Rg_2$ concentration was increased depending on acid concentrations. Citric acid pre-treatment enhanced $Rg_2$, $Rg_3$, and $Rh_1+Rh_2$ formation in red ginseng. Therefore, ginsenoside patterns in red ginseng could be changed by acid impregnation pre-treatment depending on acid concentration and acid types. This research is expected to contribute to the development of the ginseng industry via new red ginseng products with selective and intensified functionality.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 1995

We studied the effects of ginsenoside-$Rg_1$ (G-$Rg_1$) extracted from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer on $p56^{kk}$ kinase and cell proliferation in Jurkat T cells. $p56^{kk}$ was maximally activated within 5 min after the treatment of 16.7 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of G-$Rg_1$ increasing the activity by 1.2-2 times relative to untreated control, thereafter its activity was gradually decreased to the level of untreated control. The action of EGTA on the kinase was altered by the addition of G-$Rg_1$, accompanying the band shift of $p56^{kk}$ to $p60^{kk}$. In addition, G-$Rg_1$promoted cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that G-$Rg_1$ may be involved in T cell receptor-CD3 (TCR) signaling via the activation of $p56^{kk}$ and the chance of cellular calcium concentration.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.35-46
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• 2002

Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer has been one of the most highly recognized medicinal herbs in the Orient. Previous experiments have demonstrated that $Rg_3,\;and\;Rg_5$ statistically significantly decreased the incidence of benzo(a)pyrene-induced mouse lung tumor, $Rh_2$ showed tendency of decrease and $Rh_1$ showed no effect. It was, therefore, concluded that $Rg_3,\;Rg_5\;and\;Rh_2$ are active cancer chemopreventive components in red ginseng and they either singularly or synergistically act in the prevention of cancer. This study was undertaken to compare the cancer chemopreventive effects of $Rg_3,\;Rg_5\;and\;Rh_2$(purity: more than $60\%$) isolated from fermented ginseng extract and BST fermented ginseng with fortified ginsenoside $Rg_3\;and\;Rh_2$. The cancer chemopreventive effects were investigated in experimental groups treated with benzo(a)pyrene(BP) with ginsenoside $Rg_3,\;Rg_5\;Rh_2\;or\;BST$ at three doses of $50^{\circ}C/ml,\;100^{\circ}C/ml\;and\;200^{\circ}C/ml$ When mice given with $50^{\circ}C/ml$ concentration of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ combined with BP for 6 weeks after BP administration, $Rg_3\;showed\;60\%$ of lung tumor incidence, where as $100^{\circ}C/ml\;and\;200^{\circ}C/ml\;of\;Rg_3$ combined with BP groups had significant decrease of incidence $(40.0\%)$ respectively, with the inhibition rate being $35.5\%.$ While the tumor incidence was not decreased in the group treated with BP and 50 of $Rg_5,$ the incidence was $34.0\%\;and\;32.0\%$ in the group treated with BP and 100 and 200 of $Rg_5$, respectively. These incidences were significantly less than the group treated with BP alone, with the inhibition rate being $45.2\%\;and\;48.4\%,$ respectively. On the other hand, in the group treated with BP and 50 of ginsenoside $Rh_2,$ the tumor incidence was not decreased. However, the incidence was $40.0\%\;and\;38.8\%$ in the experimental treated with BP and 100 and 200 of $Rh_2,$ respectively, with the inhibition rate being $45.2\%\;and\;48.4\%,$ respectively. In addition, the incidence showed the tendency to decrease in the experimental group treated with BP and 50 of BST which contained $16.2\%\;of\;Rh_2,\;15.4\%\;of\;Rg_3\;and\;2.5%\;of\;Rg_5.$ The tumor incidence was $54.0\%$ in this group. In the group treated with 100 and 200 of EST, the incidence was $34.0\%\;and\;30.0\%,$ respectively, the incidences significantly being lower than the group treated with BP alone, with the inhibiting rate being $45.2\%\;and\;51.6\%,$ respectively. The results of this study strongly suggested that ginsenoside $Rg_3,\;Rg_5\;and\;Rh_2$ are the active components of red ginseng having a cancer chemopreventive activity and $Rg_5$ is the strongest cancer chempopreventive among them. On the other hand, the results demonstrating that the incidence of lung tumor was more markedly reduced by BST fermented ginseng with fortified ginsenoside $Rh_2\;or\;Rg_3$ compared to the single component alone, suggest that the combination of these components may remarkablely improve the cancer preventive effect