• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.48
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• pp.49-57
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• 2003

There is much evidence suggesting that compounds present in soybean can prevent cancer in many different organ systems. Especially, soybean is one of the most important source of dietary saponins, which have been considered as possible anticarcinogens to inhibit tumor development and major active components contributing to the cholesterol-towering effect. Also they were reported to inhibit of the infectivity of the AIDS virus (HIV) and the Epstein-Barr virus. The biological activity of saponins depend on their specific chemical structures. Various types of triterpenoid saponins are present in soy-bean seeds. Among them, group B soyasaponis were found as the primary soyasaponins present in soybean, and th e 2, 3-dihydro-2, 5-dihydroxy-6- methyl-4H-pyran-4-one(DDMP)-conjugated soyasaponin $\alpha\textrm{g}$, $\beta\textrm{g}$, and $\beta$ a were the genuine group B saponins, which have health benefits. On the other hand, group A saponins are responsible for the undesirable bitter and astringent taste in soybean. The variation of saponin composition in soybean seeds is explained by different combinations of 9 alleles of 4 gene loci that control the utilization of soyasapogenol glycosides as substrates. The mode of inheritance of saponin types is explained by a combination of co-dominant, dominant and recessive acting genes. The funtion of theses genes is variety-specific and organ specific. Therefore distribution of various saponins types was different according to seed tissues. Soyasaponin $\beta\textrm{g}$ was detected in both parts whereas $\alpha\textrm{g}$ and $\beta$ a was detected only in hypocotyls and cotyledons, respectively. Soyasaponins ${\gamma}$g and $\gamma\textrm{g}$ were minor saponin constituents in soybean. In case group A saponins were mostly detected in hypocotyls. Also, the total soyasaponin contents varied among different soy-bean varieties and concentrations in the cultivated soy-beans were 2-fold lower than in the wild soybeans. But the contents of soyasaponin were not so influenced by environmental effects. The composition and concentration of soyasaponins were different among the soy products (soybean flour, soycurd, tempeh, soymilk, etc.) depending on the processing conditions.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.8-8
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• 2012

Ginseng have been traditionally used for strengthening immunity, providing nutrition and recovering health from fatigue. Recently, pharmaceutical activities of ginseng roots have been proven by many researches, and ginseng has become a world-famous medicinal plant. Ginseng saponin, ginsenoside, is one of the most important secondary metabolite in ginseng which has various pharmacological activities. Many studies have aimed to convert major ginsenosides to the more active minor ginsenoside Rg3 for consumer demand ginseng product. Microbial strain GS514 strain was isolated from soil around ginseng roots for enzymatic preparation of ginsenoside Rg3, which strain shows strong ability of converting ginsenoside Rb1and Rd into Rg3 in the solution with NaCl. The gene encoding a ${\beta}$-glucosidase from this GS514 was cloned and expressed in the BL21 (DE3) strain of Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme was purified and characterized. The molecular mass of purified was 87.5 kDa, as determined by SDS-PAGE. The gene sequence revealed significant homology to the family 3 glycoside hydrolases. The purified single enzyme also catalyzed the conversion of ginsenoside Rb1 into Rg3. This target enzyme will be able to produce as much saponin for consumer demand ginseng product. Anti-apoptotic proteins bind with pro-apoptotic proteins to induce apoptosis mechanism. Over expression of these anti-apoptotic proteins lead to several cancers by preventing apoptosis. Docking simulations were performed for anti-apoptotic proteins with several ginsenosides from Panax ginseng. Our finding shows ginsenosides particularly Rg3, Rh2 and Rf have more binding affinity with apoptotic proteins. Further, these docking system of each ginsenosides can be extended to experimental screen system for further brief confirmations of several diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.222-229
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• 2019

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) was processed by drying, steaming, or puffing, and the effects of these processes on the ginsenoside profile were investigated. The main root of 4-year-old raw Korean ginseng was dried to produce white ginseng. Steaming, followed by drying, was employed to produce red or black ginseng. In addition, these three varieties of processed ginseng were puffed using a rotational puffing gun. Puffed ginseng showed significantly higher extraction yields of ginsenosides (49.87-58.60 g solid extract/100 g of sample) and crude saponin content (59.40-63.87 mg saponin/g of dried ginseng) than non-puffed ginseng, respectively. Moreover, puffing effectively transformed the major ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, and Rg1) of ginseng into minor ones (F2, Rg3, Rk1, and Rg5), comparable to the steaming process effect on the levels of the transformed ginsenosides. However, steaming takes much longer (4 to 36 days) than puffing (less than 30 min) for ginsenoside transformation. Consequently, puffing may be an effective and economical technique for enhancing the extraction yield and levels of minor ginsenosides responsible for the major biological activities of ginseng.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.629-636
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• 2012

Ginsenosides, ginseng saponin, are the principal components responsible for the pharmacological and biological activities of ginseng. In order to improve absorption and biological activities, the biotransformation of major ginsenoside to minor ginsenoside, as the more active compound, is required. In this study, we isolated Lactobacillus brevis THK-D57, which has high ${\beta}$-glycosidase activity, from Kimchi. The major ginsenoside Rb1 was converted to the minor ginsenoside 'compound K' during the fermentation of L. brevis THK-D57. The results propose that the biotransformation pathway to produce compound K is as follows: ginsenoside $Rb_1{\rightarrow}ginsenoside$ $Rd{\rightarrow}ginsenoside$ $F_2{\rightarrow}ginsenoside$ compound K.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.206-210
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• 1980

The minor components of $saponin-ginsenoside-Rf,\;-Rg_2\;and\;-Rh_1$ were isolated from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer by preparative, semi-preparative and analtical high performance liquid chromatography. The rapid method developed in this work was proved to be very effective in separation and isolation of these minor ginsenosides. A further isolation was achieved by using the recycling technique.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.1 s.53
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• pp.13-20
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• 1999

We previously reported that Korean red ginseng (KRG) has a relaxation effect on the smooth muscles of corpus cavernosum via nitric oxide (NO) pathway and calcium and potassium channels. However, it is suggested that the active ingredients of KRG might be different depending on the sources of preparation, and there might be differences in actions for different compositions. We first investigated the composition of KRG saponins according to the extractions of the various sources of KRG, then with these extractions the relaxation effects were evaluated in vitro and hemodynamical in vivo using New Zealand white rabbit and rat corpus cavernosum. The total compositions of ginsenoside $(G-Rb_1,\;-Rb_2,\;-Rc,\;-Rd,\;G-Re,\;-Rf,\;-Rg_1)$ in fractionated KRG saponin designated as TS-1, TS-2, TS-3 were $41\%,\;40\%,\;and\;62\%,$ respectively, and the ratios of PD saponin and PT saponin (PD/PT) were 1,55, 1.72, 2.25, and 2.61, the values of which were statistically significant. In vitro studies using the rabbit corpus cavernosal muscle strips, the KRG saponin relaxed cavernosal strips in a dose-dependent manner, and same results were observed in in vivo studies, that KRG saponin increased the intracavernosal pressure in the rat. There was difference in the efficacy according to fractionation techniques. The differences in the total contents of ginsenosides did not affect relaxation, rather PT saponin content was statistically related to the degree of cavernosal relaxation, and this action presumed to be mediated by NO pathway and calcium and potassium channels. In conclusion, KRG exerts relaxation which is a key step in erection via combination of effects on NO system or calcium and potassium channels. The efficacy of this action is different to the sources of ginseng, which is affected by the different composition of ginsenosides $(G-Rb_1,\;-Rb_2,\;-Rc,\;-Rd,\;G-Re,\;-Rf,\;-Rg_1).$ Thus the further studies on the active ingredients such as minor ginsenosides and non-saponin components of red ginseng with maximum potency should be sought.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.84 no.4
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• pp.415-423
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• 1995

This study was conducted to analyze the chemical composition, nutritional contents, and saponin in the xylem sap of Acer mono Max. From Feb 25 to Mar 4, 1994, spring sap was collected by making holes with 1.7cm diameter on the trunk of trees in Mt. Baekwoon and Mt. Jiri. Sugars were quantified by HPIC, amino acids by amino acid analyzer, saponins by TLC, HPLC, and $^1H$ & $^{13}C$ NMR. Major component of the sap was sucrose at a concentration range of 0.68 to 2.01%. Following minor components were found: glucose at 0.03-0.11%, and fructose at 0.01-0.03% as sugars, lipid at 0.03%, threonine at 0.152%, lysine at 0.038%, arginine at 0.068% as amino acids, ash at 0.1%, Ca at 175ppm, Fe at 2ppm, P at 19ppm, K at 16ppm, Na at 31ppm as minerals, vitamin $B_1$ at 0.6ppm, vit. $B_2$ at 0.1ppm, and vit. C at 19ppm. A trace of phenolic compounds was found by TLC, while saponin commonly reported in high-quality ginseng roots was not found in maple sap. It is concluded that sap of Acer mono contains a good variety of natural compounds such as sugars, amino acids, Ca, Fe, and vitamins to serve as an excellent source of very natural and health-promoting drink.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.184-187
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• 1996

As one of the studies relating to utilization of ginseng marc for food stuff, the changes of ginsenosides during roasting ginseng marc was examined varying roasting temperature (140~23$0^{\circ}C$) and time (10-30 min). BuOH-soluble fraction of ginseng marc roasted at 23$0^{\circ}C$ for 30 min increased up to 3 times higher than that of the unfrosted one. Some minor biol-ginsenosides were detected on the TLC by roasting above 20$0^{\circ}C$, while the contents of ginsenoside $Rg_1$, $Rg_1$ and Re, major ginsenoside components of ginseng, decreased by one fourteenth, one eighth, and one fourth fold, respectively, which indicates that these components are unstable to heat. When ginseng marc was roasted at 23$0^{\circ}C$, most of the ginsenosides except glnsenoside Re were not detected by HPLC.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.285-292
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• 2019

Panax ginseng is known for various pharmacological activities mainly due to saponins. Since minor saponins, generated by the decomposition of major saponins, generally exert higher activities than major saponins, the fermentation may increase the minor saponin contents in ginseng products. In this study, we tested fermented ginseng extract whether or not provide a safe cosmetic ingredient for whitening purpose. In this regard, fermented Ginseng extract was prepared and evaluated the inhibitory activity toward tyrosinase and the melanin synthesis suppression. The safety was tested via cell viability and toxicity test. The skin lightening effect was also evaluated by clinical study. The fermented Ginseng extract exerted higher activities in tyrosine inhibition and in suppressing melanin synthesis compared to Kojic acid and arbutin. In the clinical test, skin lightening effecte of the sample was clearly higher than vehicle or Vitamin C. We thus concluded that the fermented Ginseng extract may provide a safe cosmetic ingredient for skin lightening purpose.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.215-219
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• 2007

This study was conducted to analyze not only for the quality guaranteed of red ginseng but also for the minor ginsenosides. Although several studies have reported to analyze ginseng saponins, those were focused to major saponins, including 6 to 7 ginsenosides. As increase of interest in medicinal effect of ginseng products, anasis of various ginsenosides in both red and white ginseng are strongly demanded. To perform optital condition of 12 ginsenoside analysis, We controlled HPLC conditions, such as the gradient elution of the mobile phase. We found the adequate separation method for 12 ginse-nosides. The optimum condition was as following : H$_2$O/CH$_3$CN ratios were 82/18, 70/30, 55/45 and 50/50, respectively. Sol-vent flow rate was 1.00 ma/min. Column temperature was kept to 35$^{\circ}$C. UV detector was set to 203 nm.