• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.494-499
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• 2007

The quality and functional properties of red ginseng in relation to steaming and drying conditions were evaluated. Fresh ginseng (5-year roots), cultivated in the Punggi region, were steamed for 2.5, 3.5, or 4.5 hr, and then dried by hot-air (60-$65^{\circ}C$/24 hr and $40^{\circ}C$,/3-4d) freezing ($-80^{\circ}C$/56 hr), and infrared (900 W/$62^{\circ}C$/68 hr). Hunter#s yellowness (b-value) and browning indexes (420 nm) of the samples were higher in the rootlets than in the main roots. Furthermore, these same index values were found to be high in the order of 3.5, 4.5, and 2.5 hr and infrared, hot-air, and freezing for steaming and subsequent drying, respectively. Analysis of soluble solids, total phenolics, total flavonoids, acidic polysaccharides, and electron donating abilities of the steamed and dried samples showed that 3.5hr of steaming with infrared drying was optimal. However, crude saponin contents were not influenced by steaming and drying conditions. The contents of $ginsenoside-Rg_l$, -Re, -Rf and $-Rb_2$, which were the major components in the samples, were reduced with steaming time, while the amounts of $-Rg_3$ and $-Rh_2$ increased, reaching the highest levels at 3.5 and 4.5 hr in the main roots and rootlets, respectively. The contents of $-Rg_3$ and $-Rh_2$ were similar in both the freeze-dried and hot-air dried samples.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.180-186
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• 2014

Background: This study evaluated changes in ginsenoside compositions and antioxidant activities in hydroponic-cultured ginseng roots (HGR) and leaves (HGL) with heating temperature. Methods: Heat treatment was performed at temperatures of $90^{\circ}C$, $110^{\circ}C$, $130^{\circ}C$, and $150^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours Results: The ginsenoside content varied significantly with heating temperature. The levels of ginsenosides Rg1 and Re in HGR decreased with increasing heating temperature. Ginsenosides F2, F4, Rk3, Rh4, Rg3 (S form), Rg3 (R form), Rk1, and Rg5, which were absent in the raw ginseng, were formed after heat treatment. The levels of ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rf, and Rb1 in HGL decreased with increasing heating temperature. Conversely, ginsenosides Rk3, Rh4, Rg3 (R form), Rk1, and Rg5 increased with increasing heating temperature. In addition, ginsenoside contents of heated HGL were slightly higher than those of HGR. The highest extraction yield was 14.39% at $130^{\circ}C$, whereas the lowest value was 10.30% at $150^{\circ}C$ After heating, polyphenol contents of HGR and HGL increased from 0.43 mg gallic acid equivalent/g (mg GAE eq/g) and 0.74 mg GAE eq/g to 6.16 mg GAE eq/g and 2.86 mg GAE eq/g, respectively. Conclusion: Antioxidant activities of HGR and HGL, measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical scavenging ability, increased with increasing heating temperature. These results may aid in improving the biological activity and quality of ginseng subjected to heat treatments.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1993.09a
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• pp.74-83
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• 1993

In an attempt toward the synthesis of the difficulty accessible ginseng saponins the four dammarane glycosides identical to the natural $ginsenosides-Rh_2,$ - F2, compound K and chikusetsusaponin - LT8 have been prepared from betulafolienetriol(=dammar-24-ene-$3{\alpha},12{\beta}\;20(S)-triol).\;3-O-{\beta}-D-Glucopyranoside$ of 20(S) - protopanaxadiol $(=ginsenoside-Rh_2)$ have been obtained by the regio - and stereoselective glycosylation of the $12-O-acetyldammar-24-ene-3{\beta},\;12{\beta},$ 20(S)-triol. The 12-ketoderivative of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol has been used as aglycon in synthesis of chikusetsusaponin - LT8. Attempted regio - and stereoselective glycosylation of the less reactive tertiary C - 20 - hydroxyl group in order to synthesize the $20-O-{\beta}-D-glucopyranoside$ of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol(=compound K) using 3, 12 - di - O - acetyldammar - 24 - ene - $3{\beta},12{\beta},20(S)$-trial as aglycon was unsuccessful. Glycosylation of 3, 12 - diketone of betulafolienetriol followed by $NaBH_4$ reduction yielded the $20-O-{\beta}-D-glucopyranoside\;of\;dammar-24-ene-3{\beta},12{\alpha},$ 20(S)-triol, the $12{\alpha}-epimer$ of 20(S) - protopanaxadiol. Moreover, a number of semisynthetic ocotillol - type glucosides, analogs of natural pseudoginsenosides, have been prepared.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.20-20
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• 2010

Panax ginseng C.A Meyer is frequently taken orally as a traditional herbal medicine in Asian countries. The major components of ginseng are ginsenoside, which are pharmaceutical activity. The six major ginsenosides, including Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re and Rg1 account for 90% of total ginsenosides. Even though the minor ginsenosides, including Rg3, Rh2 and compound K has high pharmacetical activities, the price of minor ginsenosides is too high. Therefore we isolated the gypenoside V and made it converted to minor ginsenosides. In the plant Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino, gypenosdie V was presented as dominant saponin (content about 2.4%), and was similar to protopanaxadol type ginsenosides such as ginsenoside Rb1. In this study, we confirmed that the coversion of gypenoside V to minor ginsenosides after using the various treatment such as heating, acid treatment, commercial edible enzyme, and lactobacillus. Consequently, we optimizied the transformation of gypenoside V to minor ginsenoside using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (LC/TOF/MS).

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.200-230
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• 2012

Objectives: Ginseng, Panax ginseng C. A., white ginseng, has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Korean Medicine. Red ginseng can be made by a steaming process of white ginseng changing a variety of ginsenosides and ingredients such as dencichine. This article reviews red ginseng for mechanisms for pharmacodynamics and toxicity based on the content of ginseng's active ingredients, ginsenoside changed by steaming. Methods: The following electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Science Direct and Chinese Scientific Journals full text database (CQVIP), and KSI (Korean Studies Information) from their respective inceptions to June 2012. Results: Compared with unsteamed ginseng, the content of ginsenosides Rg2, Rg3, Rg5, Rh1, Rh2 and Rk1 called red ginseng-specific ginsenosides increased after the steaming process. Different ginsenosides have shown a wide variety of effects such as lowering or raising blood sugar and blood pressure or stimulating or sedating the nervous system. Especially, the levels of Rg2, Rg3, Rg5, Rh1, Rh2 and Rk1 were increased by the steaming process, showing a variety of pharmacodynamics in biological systems. Also, various processing methods such as puffing and fermentation have been developed in processing crude ginseng or red ginseng, affecting the content of ginseng's ingredients. The safety issue could be the most critical, specifically, on changed ginseng's ingredients such as dencichine. The level of dencichine was significantly reduced in red ginseng by the steaming process. In addition, the possible toxicity for red ginseng was affected by cytochrome P450, a herbal-drug interaction. Conclusions: The variety of pharmacological and toxicological properties should be changed by steaming process of Panax ginseng C. A., white ginseng. Even if it is not sure whether the steaming process of white ginseng would be better pharmacologically, it is sure that steaming reduces the level of dencichine causing a lower toxicity to the nervous system.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.329-336
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• 2023

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer is a medicinal plant well-known for its antiviral activities against various viruses, but its antiviral effect on coronavirus has not yet been studied thoroughly. The antiviral activity of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) and ten ginsenosides against Human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43) was investigated in vitro. Methods: The antiviral response and mechanism of action of KRG extract and ginsenoside Rc, Re, Rf, Rg1, Rg2-20 (R) and -20 (S), Rg3-20 (R) and -20 (S), and Rh2-20 (R) and -20 (S), against the human coronavirus strain OC43 were investigated by using plaque assay, time of addition assay, real-time PCR, and FACS analysis. Results: Virus plaque formation was reduced in KRG extract-treated and HCoV-OC43-infected HCT-8 cells. KRG extract decreased the viral proteins (Nucleocapsid protein and Spike protein) and mRNA (N and M gene) expression, while increased the expression of interferon genes. Conclusion: KRG extract exhibits antiviral activity by enhancing the expression of interferons and can be used in treating infections caused by HCoV-OC43.

• 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.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.41-45
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• 2018

Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) has been used as traditional herbal drug in Asian countries. Ginsenosides are major components having pharmacological and biological efficacy like anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-tumor effects. To control the quality of the components in diverse ginseng products, we developed a new quantitative method using LC-MS/MS for 13 ginsenosides; Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, 20(S)-Rh1, 20(S)-Rh2, Rg1, 20(S)-Rg3, F1, F2, and compound K. This method was successfully validated for linearity, precision, and accuracy. This quantification method applied in four representative ginseng products; fresh ginseng powder, white ginseng powder, red ginseng extract powder, and red ginseng extract. Here the amounts of the 13 ginsenosides in the various type of ginseng samples could be analyzed simultaneously and expected to be suitable for quality control of ginseng products.

• 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.33 no.4
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• pp.343-348
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• 2009

This study was conducted to produce a new red ginseng by steaming ginseng using a new pre-treatment method, so as to develop ginseng products with improved flavor and thereby expand ginseng's consumer base. The color parameters (Hunter value), free sugar contents, and ginsenoside contents of the powder from the dried red ginseng, and the sensory test of the semi-dried red ginseng and the decoction from the dried red ginseng, were measured to investigate the effect of acid (ascorbic acid or citric acid) impregnation pre-treatment on red ginseng. The powder from the acid-pretreated red ginseng became lighter and more yellow than the red ginseng that was not pre-treated, but the redness (avalue) of the powder from the acid-pre-treated red ginseng increased. The ginsenoside contents of $Rg_2+Rh_1$ and $Rg_3$ increased with the acid treatment. There was a significant difference in the color and sweetness of the semi-dried acidtreated and non-treated red ginsengs in the sensory test. As the results of the sensory test were expressed in the hedonic scale, however, there were significant differences in the degrees of bitterness, astringency, sourness, odor, and color of the red ginseng decollation. Especially, the acid-treated red ginseng extract tasted less bitter, which shows the potential of new red ginseng products with improved ginseng flavor.