• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2006

Ceramide has been involved in celt death and acted as a lipid mediator of stress responses. Elevation of ceramide level was reported to occur in oxidative stress and lead to cell death in many cell types. This study was undertaken to elucidate a protective role of ginsenoside Rgl in cell death induced by oxidative stress. When LLC-PK1 cells were treated with $H_2O_2$ at a concentration of $400{\mu}M$ for 5 hr, cell death was observed and a released LDH activity indicative of cytotoxicity was Increased. $H_2O_2$ exposure to LLC-PK1 cells was shown to elevate the content of total ceramide by approximately 200% compared to control cells. Ceramide level was hypothesized to be a key to a reversal of cell death to survival. Ginsenoside Rgl at the concentrations ranging from 12.5 to $250{\mu}M$ protected LLC-PK1 cells from cell death induced by $H_2O_2\;at\;400{\mu}M$ for 5 hr, and decreased the ceramide level relative to $H_2O_2$. Ginsenoside Rgl inhibited neutral human ceramidase by 71% of controls, while sphingomyelinase was not inhibited. These results suggest that ginsenoside Rgl show the protection against cell death via the modulation of ceramide metabolism, and ceramide may be a promising therapeutic target for human diseases related to cell death.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.120-127
• /
• 1978

We have studied the effect of ouabain, tool ginseng saponin, panax saponin C (protopanaxatriol derivative) and ginsenoside $Rb_{1}$ (protopanaxadiol derivative) on $Na^+,K^+$-ATPase and $Mg^{++}$-ATPase activities were determined by the method of Robinson and ATPase activities were determined by the method of King. The $Na^+,K^+$-ATPase activities were inhibitied by 90.1% and 51.1% respectively at the concentration of $10^{-3}M$ and $10^{-4}M$ ouabain. The results are consistent with those of Robinson. The $Na^+,K^+$-ATPase activities were increased by 14.3% and 10.0% respectively at the concentration of $10^{-4}$g/ml and $10^{-5}$g/ml total ginseng saponin. Panax saponin C obtained by the method of Han and ginsenoside $Rb_{1}$ obtained by the method of Shibata were used. The $Na^+,K^+$-ATPase activities were increased in the presence of panax saponin C and the increased activity with panax saponin C was greater than that with total ginseng saponin. On the other hand ginsenoside $Rb_{1}$ showed an inhibitory effect on $Na^+,K^+$-ATPase. Total ginseng saponin, panax saponin C and ginsenoside $Rb_{1}$ had no effect on $Mg^{++}$-ATPase. Therefore, it may be concluded that total ginseng saponin has dual effects on microsomal $Na^+,K^+$-ATPase, that is, panax saponin C exhibits stimulatory action, whereas ginsenoside $Rb_{1}$ shows inhibitory action.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.535-540
• /
• 2012

${\beta}$-D-Xylosidase (E.C. 3.2.1.37) from Bifidobacterium breve K-110, which hydrolyzes ginsenoside Ra1 to ginsenoside Rb2, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The ($His_6$)-tagged recombinant enzyme, designated as XlyBK-110, was efficiently purified using $Ni^{2+}$-affinity chromatography (109.9-fold, 84% yield). The molecular mass of XylBK-100 was found to be 55.7 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Its sequence revealed a 1,347 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein containing 448 amino acids, which showed 82% identity (DNA) to the previously reported glycosyl hydrolase family 30 of Bifidobacterium adolescentis ATCC 15703. The $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values toward p-nitrophenyl-${\beta}$-D-xylopyranoside (pNPX) were 1.45mM and 10.75 ${\mu}mol/min/mg$, respectively. This enzyme had pH and temperature optima at 6.0 and $45^{\circ}C$, respectively. XylBK-110 acted to the greatest extent on xyloglucosyl kakkalide, followed by pNPX and ginsenoside Ra1, but did not act on p-nitrophenyl-${\alpha}$-L-arabinofuranoside, p-nitrophenyl-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside, or p-nitrophenyl-${\beta}$-D-fucopyranoside. In conclusion, this is the first report on the cloning and expression of ${\beta}$-D-xylosidase-hydrolyzing ginsenoside Ra1 and kakkalide from human intestinal microflora.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.857-867
• /
• 2023

In this study, the extraction yield, acidic polysaccharides and ginsenosides of red and black ginseng were optimized by using the response surface methodology in consideration of the ethanol concentration and temperature of the extraction. The R² of the model formula for the yield, acidic polysaccharides and ginsenosides was 0.8378-0.9679 (p<0.1). An optimal extraction yield of 5.29% was reached for red ginseng soluble solids when 1.52% ethanol concentration was used at a temperature of 67.27℃. Additionally, the optimal extraction yield for black ginseng soluble solid was 6.11% when 3.12% ethanol concentration was used at a temperature of 66.13℃. Furthermore, the optimal conditions for extracting acidic polysaccharides from red ginseng were using an ethanol concentration of 4.03% at a temperature of 69.61℃; a yield of 1.86 mg/mL was obtained. The optimal extraction yield for acidic polysaccharides from black ginseng was 1.80 mg/mL when extracted using a concentration of 24.67% of ethanol at a temperature of 71.14℃. An optimal extraction yield of 0.22 mg/mL was reached for ginsenoside Rg₁ from red ginseng when 79.92% ethanol concentration was used at a temperature of 70.62℃. The optimal extraction yield of ginsenoside Rg₃ from black ginseng was 0.31 mg/mL when ethanol was used at a concentration of 75.70% at a temperature of 65.49℃. The ideal extraction conditions for obtaining the maximum yield of both acidic polysaccharide and ginsenoside from red and black ginseng were using ethanol at a concentration between 35 and 50% at an extraction temperature of 70℃.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.299-305
• /
• 2010

In this study, the contents of ginsenoside were compared according to the red ginseng extract times to provide basic information for developing nutraceutical foods using red ginseng. The highest total ginsenoside contents of the main, lateral, and fine root extracts were 23.04, 65.68, and 295.92 mg/100 mL when extracted at $75^{\circ}C$ for 21, 18, and 12 hours, respectively. The total ginsenoside content showed a tendency to decrease as the extraction times were increased. The highest Rb1 and Rg1 contents of the main, lateral, and fine root extracts were 5.76, 28.39, and 117.83 mg/100 mL when extracted at $75^{\circ}C$ for 18, 15, and, 12 hours, respectively, and their highest Rb2 and Re contents were 5.76, 28.39, and 117.83 when extracted under the same conditions. The prosapogenin content of the red ginseng extract increased along with the extraction time. The highest total ginsenoside extraction ratios of the main, lateral, and fine root extracts of the red ginseng at $75^{\circ}C$ were 21.3, 21.1, and 67.1%, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.1081-1089
• /
• 2008

A novel ginsenoside-hydrolyzing ${\beta}$-glucosidase was purified from Paecilomyces Bainier sp. 229 by a combination of Q-Sepharose FF, phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B, and CHT ceramic hydroxyapatite column chromatography. The purified enzyme was a monomeric protein with a molecular mass estimated to be 115 kDa. The optimal enzyme activity was observed at pH 3.5 and $60^{\circ}C$. It was highly stable within pH 3-9 and at temperatures lower than $55^{\circ}C$. The enzyme was specific to ${\beta}$-glucoside. The order of enzyme activities against different types of ${\beta}$-glucosidic linkages was ${\beta}$-(1-6)>${\beta}$-(1-2)>${\beta}$-(1-4). The enzyme converted ginsenoside Rb1 to CK specifically and efficiently. An 84.3% amount of ginsenoside Rb1, with an initial concentration of 2 mM, was converted into CK in 24 h by the enzyme at $45^{\circ}C$ and pH 3.5. The hydrolysis pathway of ginsenoside Rb1 by the enzyme was $Rb1{\to}Rd{\to}F2{\to}CK$. Five tryptic peptide fragments of the enzyme were identified by a newly developed de novo sequencing method of post-source decay (PSD) matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. By comparing the five identified peptide sequences with the NCBI database, this purified ${\beta}$-glucosidase proves to be a new protein that has not been reported before.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.93-98
• /
• 2009

To understand the anti-allergic mechanism of compound K, which is a metabolite of ginsenoside Rb1, a main constituent of the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (family Araliaceae), its inhibitory effect against IgE-antigen complex IAC)-induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in mice and mRNA and protein expressions of allergic cytokines in lAC-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells were investigated. Orally administered ginsenoside Rb1 more potently inhibited PCA reaction when administered at 5 h prior to the lAC treatment than when administered at I h before. However, compound K orally administered 1 h before lAC treatment showed a more potent anti-PCA reaction effect than when treated at 5 h before. Orally administered ginsenoside Rb1 more potently inhibited PCA reaction induced by lAC in mice than intraperitoneally treated one, apart from orally administered its metabolite, compound K, which was more potent than the orally administered one. The compound K, a metabolite of ginsenoside Rb1, inhibited mRNA and protein expressions of IL-4 and TNF-${\alpha}$ and the activation of their transcription factor NF-$\kappa$B and MAPK in lAC-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells. These findings suggest that orally administered ginsenoside Rb1 may be dependent on its metabolism by intestinal microflora in the intestine and the compound K may improve allergic diseases by the inhibition of IL-4 and TNF-${\alpha}$ expresseion.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.214-219
• /
• 2018

Background: This study was carried out to determine the best time for collecting ginseng berries without reducing the ginsenoside-Re content of ginseng roots, which are used as food, medicine, or cosmetic materials. Methods and Results: The test variety of ginseng used in this study was is Chunpung, which was collected from a 4-year-old ginseng field. Ginseng berries were collected at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56 days after flowering. The number of berry bunches per $1.62m^2$ ranged from 43.4 to 61.4, while the weight of berries per $1.62m^2$ was the greatest when they were collected 49 days after flowering. The root fresh weight per $1.62m^2$ was increased by 0.21 - 1.00 kg compared with that before the test, but root weight gain was decreased as the berry collection time was delayed. Total ginsenoside content of 4-year-old ginseng was the highest when berries were collected 7 days after flowering, while the ginsenoside-Re contents was the highest when collection was done 14 days after flowering. Conclusions: The most suitable period for ginseng berry collection was proposed to be from 14 to 21 days after flowering, as this is when the content of ginsenoside-Re, which is useful as a medicinal or cosmetic material, is still high and the ginseng root has not yet decreased in weight.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.291-297
• /
• 2012

Ginsenoside (ginseng saponin), the principal component of ginseng, is responsible for the pharmacological and biological activities of ginseng. We isolated lactic acid bacteria from Kimchi using esculin agar, to produce ${\beta}$-glucosidase. We focused on the bio-transformation of ginsenoside. Phylogenetic analysis was performed by comparing the 16S rRNA sequences. We identified the strain as Lactobacillus (strain 6105). In order to determine the optimal conditions for enzyme activity, the crude enzyme was incubated with 1 mM ginsenoside Rb1 to catalyse the reaction. A carbon substrate, such as cellobiose, lactose, and sucrose, resulted in the highest yields of ${\beta}$-glucosidase activity. Biotransformations of ginsenoside Rb1 were analyzed using TLC and HPLC. Our results confirmed that the microbial enzyme of strain 6105 significantly transformed ginsenoside as follows: Rb1${\rightarrow}$gypenoside XVII, Rd${\rightarrow}$F2 into compound K. Our results indicate that this is the best possible way to obtain specific ginsenosides using microbial enzymes from 6105 culture.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.75-80
• /
• 2018

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential protective effects of six ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg1, and Rg3) isolated from Panax ginseng against tacrolimus (FK506)-induced apoptosis in renal proximal tubular LLC-PK1 cells. Methods: LLC-PK1 cells were treated with FK506 and ginsenosides, and cell viability was measured. Protein expressions of mitogen-activated protein kinases, caspase-3, and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) were evaluated by Western blotting analyses. The number of apoptotic cells was measured using an image-based cytometric assay. Results: Reduction in cell viability by $60{\mu}M$ FK506 was ameliorated significantly by cotreatment with ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1. The phosphorylation of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinases, and KIM-1, and cleavage of caspase-3, increased markedly in LLC-PK1 cells treated with FK506 and significantly decreased after cotreatment with ginsenoside Rb1. The number of apoptotic cells decreased by 6.0% after cotreatment with ginsenoside Rb1 ($10{\mu}M$ and $50{\mu}M$). Conclusion: The antiapoptotic effects of ginsenoside Rb1 on FK506-induced apoptosis were mediated by the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinases and caspase activation.