• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.188-204
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• 1977

The studies on the saponins of Korean ginseng, Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, were performed according to the cultivating locations, sampling seasons, plant parts, and growing stages. The changes in saponin content in the course of manufacturing Red ginseng and Ginseng extract were observed. In this paper, a new method for the determination of the total and the individual saponin glucosides was proposed and applied to the samples under study. The method employing Digital Densitorol DMU-33C (Toyo electric Co., Japan) followed the separation of the saponins by means of a preparative thin layer chromatography. The saponin contents and their fractional distribution were summarized as follows: 1. The average concentrations(% plant dry weight) of semi-purified saponins in the roots of Korean ginseng planted in the various locations were 5.0%(Keumsan), 6.0% (Kimpo), and 5.4% (Pocheon), respectively. 2. There were 3.3% saponins in White ginseng(Rhizome) and 12.7% saponins in Ginseng tail (Fibrous root). 3. Regarding the year of growth, the contents of saponins were 90.3mg (2-year-old ginseng), 254.4mg (3-year-old ginseng), 404.2mg (4-year-old ginseng). 999.6mg (5-year-old ginseng), and 1377.1mg (6-year-old ginseng) respectively, and the saponin factions containing panaxatriol as an aglycone increased. 4. Thin layer chromatography revealed that Red ginseng yielded many saponins which Shibata et al. designated as $ginsenoside-Rb_1$ (22.1%), $-Rb_2(15.4%)$, -Rc(12.6%), -Re (15.7%), and $-Rg_1$, (9.3%). 5. 29.9% of crude saponins were isolated from ethanolic extract of Panax ginseng fibrous root and their extraction yield was 94.2% of fibrous root saponin.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2016

Fresh ginseng roots were aged in an oven at $80^{\circ}C$ for 14 d. The in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of this aged ginseng, in comparison with those of the white and red ginsengs, were evaluated. In in vitro antioxidant assays, the ethanolic extracts from aged ginseng showed significantly higher free radical scavenging activity and reducing power than those of the white and red ginsengs. In in vivo antioxidant assays, mice were fed a high fat diet supplemented with white, red, or aged ginseng powders. High fat feeding resulted in a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and a substantial decrease in antioxidant enzymes activities in the animals. However, diet supplementation of ginseng powders, particularly aged ginseng, markedly reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced the antioxidant enzymes activities. The results illustrate that the aged ginseng has greater in vitro and in vivo antioxidant capacity than the white and red ginsengs. The aged ginseng also showed considerably higher total saponin, phenolic, and flavonoid contents, indicating that its antioxidant capacity may have been partly due to its high levels of antioxidant compounds. This new ginseng product may be useful as a functional food with strong antioxidant potential.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.350-356
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• 1983

Ginseng is one of the most important plant drugs which has been used as a medicine in Asia. Main effective components of ginseng have been recently believed to be saponins which have been isolated and identified from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer. Decrease in total saponin content of white ginseng by storage years was remarkable in contrast with red ginseng. In storage for three years, decrease in red and white ginsengs were 12% and 27% for total saponin content, and 16.8% and 42.2% for major saponin content, respectively. The PT/PD ratios of red and white ginseng saponins were ranged 0.646 to 0.694% and 0.414 to 0.428%, respectively. According to the result of PT/PD ratios, red ginseng was greater than 50% in compare with white ginseng. The change of PT/PD ratio would greatly influence on the biochemical and pharmacological effects of ginseng.

• 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.28 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of crude saponin of red ginseng and aqueous extracts from several medicinal herbs on the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH) in alcohol metabolism. In order to develop a liquid phase product a model product was prepared using functional plants. In case of red ginseng crude saponin, and some medicinal herbs(Puerariae radix, the flower of Puerariae lobata, the fruits of Hovenia dulcis Thunb., Morus alba L.) the relative activity of ADH was significantly increased, which was from 104～114%. The relative activity of ALDH was also significantly increased in the cases of the fruits of Hovenia duicis Thunb., Morus alba L. which was from 102∼106%. To improve of soju flavours by addition of liquid phase product, it is prepared three samples added a given content (0.28%) of chik, ssanghwa and kyungokgo flavour. The total acceptability test showed significant differences among three samples, and it is observed that the sample added ssanghwa flavour get the best grade. As the second acceptability test, the preference of ssanghwa flavoured sample, sample without flavour and a similar product in market was compared. There was no significant difference among three samples.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.118-125
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• 2010

This study was carried out to determine changes in general chemical composition, free sugars, physicochemical properties of extract, and ginsenoside contents depending upon processing methods. Ginseng roots harvested from the same field were employed for the processing into white ginseng (WG), taegeuk ginseng (TG), red ginseng A (RGA, steamed one time), and red ginseng B (RGB, steamed three times). The fat content decreased by increasing duration of treatment and number of steaming treatment. On the other hand, there was no significant variation in contents of ash and carbohydrate depending on processing methods. Contents of sucrose and maltose was higher in Taegeuk and red ginseng than those of white ginseng. Steamed ginseng root (taegeuk and red ginseng root) showed higher amount of water extractable solid than the unsteamed white ginseng, but the variation of crude saponin content was not distinctive depending on processing methods. The contents of total ginsenosides increased by the order of white, taegeuk, red A, and red B root. In summary, chemical composition and total ginsenoside content were different according to part of root and processing methods, thus implies the importance of quality control as well as pharmacological activity of ginseng root.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.355-361
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• 2009

In this study, raw ginseng produced by different methods was puffed, and physicochemical properties were analyzed and compared. Raw ginseng included white ginseng lateral root (WGL), red ginseng lateral root (RGL), red ginseng main root (RGM), and red ginseng main root with 15% (w/w) moisture (RGMM). All samples were puffed at a pressure of 7 kg/cm2. Crude saponin content was increased after puffing compared with that of control ginseng. RGM and RGMM showed significant increases in crude saponin content, from 1.67% and 1.41% to 2.84% and 3.09% (all w/w), respectively. However, the ginsenoside content of WGL was decreased after puffing. Rg3, Rh1, and Rh2 values of red ginseng were increased by puffing compared with those of control red ginseng. The total sugar content of ginseng decreased after puffing. The mineral components of puffed ginseng were similar to those of raw ginseng. Levels of total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities of ginseng were increased after puffing, and electron-donating ability was greatly increased. The acidic polysaccharide content of ginseng increased slightly and the amino acid content decreased due to the high temperature used during puffing.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of crude ginseng saponin (CGS) on blood chemical parameters in adult female guinea pigs exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). A total of 80 guinea pigs (800$\pm$20g) were divided into 8 groups: group 1 (normal control group) was given vehicle (corn oil containing small amount of acetone and DMSO) and saline; group 2 (single TCDD-treated) received TCDD (1 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg, i.p.) and saline (i.p.); groups 3 and 4 were administered CGS at a daily i.p. doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg for 4 weeks, respectively; groups 5 and 6 were administered CGS (10 and 20 mg/kg, respectively) for 5 weeks starting 1 week before TCDD-exposure; groups 7 and 8 were administered CGS (10 and 20 mg/kg, respectively) for 3 weeks from 1 week after TCDD-exposure. CGS was prepared by Diaion HP-20 adsorption chromatography. Body weights of G2 were significantly decreased from the and week after TCDD-exposure (P<0.01). Body weights of the CGS-treated groups were also decreased by TCDD-exposure but the weight loss was greatly retarded compared with that of G2. Increase in blood glucose, amylase, lipase, total cholesterol, triglyceride, AST and LDL-cholesterol levels by TCDD exposure was significantly attenuated by the CCS-treatment (P<0.05). From these results, we found that saponin, the main active ingredient of gineseng, played a protective role in TCDD-induced toxicity and ginseng protected female animals from dioxin-induced toxic manifestation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.354-364
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• 2015

Background: Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) is a platelet aggregation-inducing molecule. Therefore, understanding the inhibitory mechanism of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$mobilization is very important to evaluate the antiplatelet effect of a substance. This study was carried out to understand the $Ca^{2+}$-antagonistic effect of total saponin from Korean Red Ginseng (KRG-TS). Methods: We investigated the $Ca^{2+}$-antagonistic effect of KRG-TS on cyclic nucleotides-associated phosphorylation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type I ($IP_3RI$) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKA) in thrombin (0.05 U/mL)-stimulated human platelet aggregation. Results: The inhibition of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization by KRG-TS was increased by a PKA inhibitor (Rp-8-BrcAMPS), which was more stronger than the inhibition by a cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)- dependent protein kinase (PKG) inhibitor (Rp-8-Br-cGMPS). In addition, Rp-8-Br-cAMPS inhibited phosphorylation of PKA catalytic subunit (PKAc) ($Thr^{197}$) by KRG-TS. The phosphorylation of $IP_3RI$ ($Ser^{1756}$) by KRG-TS was very strongly inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cAMPS compared with that by Rp-8-BrcGMPS. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization by KRG-TS is more strongly dependent on a cAMP/PKA pathway than a cGMP/PKG pathway. KRG-TS also inhibited the release of adenosine triphosphate and serotonin. In addition, only G-Rg3 of protopanaxadiol in KRG-TS inhibited thrombin-induced platelet aggregation. Conclusion: These results strongly indicate that KRG-TS is a potent beneficial compound that inhibits $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization in thrombin-platelet interactions, which may result in the prevention of platelet aggregation-mediated thrombotic disease.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.411-416
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of the extrusion process on the change of components in ginseng. The extraction yields from ginseng by distilled water extraction were highest in the extruded ginsengs, whereas it was lowest in the white ginseng. The contents of crude saponin were highest in the extruded ginseng, and they increased as the extrusion temperature was raised. The total contents of 11 kinds of ginsenosides increased in the order of red, white and extruded ginsengs. In particular, red ginseng showed higher contents of Rg1, Rg3 and Rb2, whereas Re was highest in white ginseng. In addition, the contents of Rg2, Rh1, Rh2 and Rg3 in the extruded white ginseng became higher. Free sugar contents were greatest in red ginseng. However, they were lowest in the extruded ginseng. White ginseng had a greater L value, whereas extruded ginseng demonstrated higher a and b values. In conclusion, the extraction yields, the contents of saponin, and ginsenoside-Rg2, Rh1, Rh2 and Rg3 were increased through the extrusion process.