• 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.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.167-175
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• 2005

The $Ca^{2+}-activated$ chloride channel (CLCA) was activated by ginseng total saponin (GTS) in Xenopus oocytes. The reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) method was performed with gene specific primers on oocytes. The gene specific primers were deduced from spleen cDNA in expressed sequence tags (EST) database showing high homology to the mouse CLCA. Full length of cDNA sequence was completed by linkage of several 5' and 3'-half cDNA fragments have been sequenced. We named the full cDNA to oCLCA transiently. The oCLCA gene encodes a protein of 911 amino acids with $48.9\%$ identity overall to that of mouse CLCA (mCLCA4). A predicted oCLCA amino acids sequence shows the molecular weight of 108 kDa and has four or more transmembrane domains, and also the one hydrophobic C­terminal domain. oCLCA gene was expressed ubiquitously in various tissues included oocytes, also interfered in oocytes by siRNA for oCLCA. Here, we suggest that oCLCA is a endogenous chloride channel gene in oocytes. We are studying for the identification of oCLCA gene and further physiological research.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2018

Background: Panax notoginseng leaves (PNL) exhibit extensive activities, but few analytical methods have been established to exclusively determine the dammarane triterpene saponins in PNL. Methods: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS) and HPLC-UV methods were developed for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of ginsenosides in PNL, respectively. Results: Extraction conditions, including solvents and extraction methods, were optimized, which showed that ginsenosides Rc and Rb3, the main components of PNL, are transformed to notoginsenosides Fe and Fd, respectively, in the presence of water, by removing a glucose residue from position C-3 via possible enzymatic hydrolysis. A total of 57 saponins were identified in the methanolic extract of PNL by UPLC/Q-TOF MS. Among them, 19 components were unambiguously characterized by their reference substances. Additionally, seven saponins of PNL-ginsenosides Rb1, Rc, Rb2, and Rb3, and notoginsenosides Fc, Fe, and Fd-were quantified using the HPLC-UV method after extraction with methanol. The separation of analytes, particularly the separation of notoginsenoside Fc and ginsenoside Rc, was achieved on a Zorbax ODS C8 column at a temperature of $35^{\circ}C$. This developed HPLC-UV method provides an adequate linearity ($r^2$ > 0.999), repeatability (relative standard deviation, RSD < 2.98%), and inter- and intraday variations (RSD < 4.40%) with recovery (98.7-106.1%) of seven saponins concerned. This validated method was also conducted to determine seven components in 10 batches of PNL. Conclusion: These findings are beneficial to the quality control of PNL and its relevant products.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.32-38
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• 2013

FPS (farnesyl diphosphate synthase) plays an essential role in organ development in plants. However, FPS has not previously been identified as a key regulatory enzyme in triterpene biosynthesis. In order to investigate the effect of FPS on ginsenosides biosynthesis, we over-expressed FPS of Centella asiatica (CaFPS) in Panax giseng adventitious roots. PCR analysis showed the integrations of the CaFPS and hygromycin phosphotransferase genes and we ultimately selected three lines. The result of Southern blot analysis demonstrated the introduction of the CaFPS gene into genome of ginseng. In addition, the results of RT-PCR analysis revealed that CaFPS gene overexpression induced an accumulation of its transcription in the ginseng adventitious roots. To determine whether or not the overexpression of the CaFPS gene contributes to the downstream gene expression associated with triterpene biosynthesis, the level of mRNAs was analyzed by real-time PCR. The result showed that no differences were detected in any expression of all genes. To determine quantitatively the content of ginsenosides in transgenic ginseng adventitious roots, HPLC analysis was conducted. The content of total 7 ginsenosides was increased to 1.8, 1.4, and 1.7 times than that of the controls, respectively. This indicated that the overexpression of CaFPS in ginseng adventitious roots causes an increase in ginsenoside content, although down stream genes of FPS gene were suppressed by CaFPS overexpression.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.330-335
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• 1987

This study was carried out to know the effect of seed position on the size, contents of ginsenosides, free sugars, and fatty acids in ginseng seeds. Seed positions were classified by the three portions as center, middle and border in a seed cluster. Seed weight at center was light remarkably in comparison with those of seeds of at border and middle. The weight of embryo plus endosperm was in same tendency as seed weight. Percentage of single-seeded berry was smaller than that of the double-seeded, and the triple-seeded was rare. The percentage of the single-seeded increased from the border to the center. Size of the single -seeded seed was smaller than that of the double- seeded. Rate of dehiscence did not differ among different seed positions. The major ginsenosides in seed were Re, Rb$_1$, and Rb$_2$. The contents of Rb$_2$ and total saponin were highest in border, least in center, but reversed in Re and Rd. Major free sugars in seed were sucrose and glucose. The sucrose content was gradually decreased according to the seed position from border to center. Major fatty acids in the seed were oleic and linoleic acid. Contents of palmitic and linolenic acid were different according to the seed position.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.509-522
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• 2015

Organic ginseng farming has rapidly increased in response to consumer demand for a safe product which improves health. Differences in soil nutrient concentration and ginsenoside content between organic and conventional ginseng farming have, however, not yet been properly studied. Therefore the aim of the present study was to compare soil nutrient concentration and ginsenoside content between these two farming systems. $NO_3-N$, $P_2O_5$, and K were significantly different between organic and conventional ginseng farming. The total content of ginsenoside and individual ginsenoside components were higher in organically grown ginseng than in ginseng from conventional farming, although there is no significant difference. Particularly, protopanaxadiol saponins were higher than protopanaxatriol saponins in ginseng from organic farming compared to ginseng produced by conventional farming. $NO_3-N$ content in soils showed a negative correlation with the content of ginsenosides $Rb_2$ and Rd. In addition, $P_2O_5$ showed a negative correlation with ginsenosides $Rb_1$, Rc, and PD/PT ratio. Organic matter showed a positive crrelation with ginsenosides Re. To increase the ginsenoside content of ginseng, we recommend increasing organic matter and decreasing $NO_3-N$ and $P_2O_5$ contents in the soil.

• 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.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.15-18
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• 2008

This study was carried out to evaluate the basic information on ginsenoside contents and pattern similarity in five cultivars of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. Among five cultivars the unit content and total content of ginsenosides were the highest in Gopoong cultivar as 18.9 mg/g and 596 mg/root, respectively. The unit content and total content of ginsenosides decreased in the order of Yunpoong, Gumpoong, Seonpoong and Chunpoong cultivar. Ginsenoside pattern similarity between tap root and lateral root was high as 0.95 but that between tap root and fine root was low as 0.72. Correlation of ginsenoside contents between tap root and lateral root exhibited the highest value as 0.843 and decreased in the order of main root, fine root, and rhizome. And the correlation value between unit content and total content of ginsenoside was very high as 0.933.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.8
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• pp.1162-1169
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• 2016

A new method based on accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) combined with response surface methodology (RSM) has been developed for optimization of the extraction of ginsenoside [Rb1, Rg1, and Rg3(20S)], total phenolics, and benzopyrene in red ginseng. The RSM method, based on a five level and two variable central composite design, was employed to obtain the optimal combination of extraction conditions. In brief, ginsenosides Rb1, Rg1, and Rg3(20S) and total phenolics with undetectable benzopyrene were optimally extracted with 50% ethanol as an extraction solvent, extraction temperature of $158^{\circ}C$, extraction time of 20 min, extraction pressure of 2,500 psi, flush volume of 60%, and one extraction cycle. The contents of ginsenosides and total phenolics in red ginseng extracted by ASE under optimum conditions were significantly higher than those extracted by sonication and reflux extraction.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.3-18
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• 2005

This paper reports the characteristics of 8 new cultivars for selected from Korean ginseng. The occurance of multi stems were the highest in Yunpoong(45%) and the lowest in Gumpoong(7%), but growth of aerial parts were the highest in Gumpoong and the lowest In Yunpoong among new cultiyars. The ratio of seeds harvest were the highest in Gumpoong(85.4%) and the lowest in Chunpoong(69.1%), but number of seeds per plant were the highest in Yunpoong(108.3ea) and the lowest in Chunpoong(77.5ea) among new cultivars. The ratio of leaf burning were the highest in Chunpoong but the lowest in Yunpoong among new cultivars. In weight distribution of the different parts of the ginseng roots, the ratio of main root were high in Jakyungjong(63.1%) but low in new cultivars(49%-55.9%), but the ratio of lateral root were high in new cultivars(19.3-23.3%), but low in Jakyungjong(13.2%), the ratio of fine root were not different. Root yield declined in the order of Yunpoong, Gumpoong, Gopoong, Chunpoong, Sunpoong, Jakyungjong. The length of main root were the longest in Chunpoong(8,0cm) but the shortest in Yunpoong(6,4cm), The ratio of rusty-root was low in new cultivars(0,2-9,5%), but high in Jakyungiong(16,3%). The grade of red ginseng roots decreased in the order of Chunpoong, Gumpoong, Gopoong, Sunpoong, Yunpoong, Cheongsun, Jakyungjong. The total ginsenoside contents per dry weight in main roots was high in Gumpoong(8.53mg), Yunpoong(8.13mg), Gopoong(7,47mg), but low in Chunpoong(5.73mg), Sunpoong(4.87mg).