• 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.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1990.06a
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• pp.15-19
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• 1990

We have been isolating various physiologically active substances from non-saponin fraction of Korean Red Ginseng These are adenosine, gyro-glutamic acid, dencichine and acidic polysaccharide. Adenosine and gyro-glutamic acid are loom to inhibit epinephrine-induced lipolysis in fat cells and stimulate the insulin-mediated lipogenesis. In addition to these actions, adenosine was found to inhibit both norepinephrine- and histamine-induced aorta constriction, and pyre·glutamic acid inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme. Dencichine stimulated histamine-induced aorta constriction. Finally, acidic polysaccharide was found to inhibit both lipolytic and anorexigenic actions of Toxohormone-L. Based on these experimental results, I presented a brief review on these compounds isolated from non- saponin fraction of Korea Red Ginseng. Keywords Panax ginseng, Korean red ginseng, adenosine, pyroglutamic acid, dencichine, acidic polysac- charide, lipolysis, lipogenesis, angiotensin-converting enzyme, toxohormone-L.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.157-161
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• 1990

We have been isolating various physiologically active substances from non-saponin fraction of Korean Red Ginseng. These are adenosine, pyre-glutamic acid, dencichine and acidic polysaccharide. Adenosine and pyre-glutamic acid are known to inhibit epinephrine-induced lipolysis in fat cells and stimulate the insulin-mediated lipogenesis. In addition to these actions, adenosine was found to inhibit both norepinephrine- and histamine-induced aorta constriction, and pyre·glutamic acid inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme. Dencichine stimulated histamine-induced aorta constriction. Finally, acidic polysaccharide was found to inhibit both lipolytic and anorexigenic actions of Toxohormone-L. Based on these experimental results, I presented a briefreview on these compounds isolated from non-saponin fraction of Korea Red Ginseng.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1990.06a
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• pp.175-189
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• 1990

Nitrogen compounds of Panax ginseng and their biological activities in plant and animal were reviewed. Major nitrogen compounds found in P. ginseng are free amino acids. Water solilble proteins, indouble proteins and peptides. Minor nitrogen compounds are dencichine. Glycolyroteins, amines, alkaloides, methoxy or alkyl pyrazine derivatives, free nucleosides and nucleic acid bases. 4-methyl-i-thiazoltethanol and pyroglutamic acid the contents of total nitrogen and protein in root Increased until 13 years old which was the highest age tinder investigation. Soluble protein content increased with the root weight and was higher in xylem pith than cortex-epidermis indicating the close relation with root growth. Arginine, which covered 58% of total free amino acids, may serve as storage nitrogen. Arginine seems to be changed into proline in rhizome. threonine in stem and again threonine and arginine in leaf. The greater the root weight the higher the polyamine stimulated Polyamine stimlllated the growth of root callus. Physiological roles of other minor nitrogen compounds are unknown although content is relatively high ((1.if) 6.w). Biochemical and pharmacological activities of some nitrogen compounds for animal were more investigated than physiological role there plant itself. Radiation and U.V protective function (heat stable protein). insulin-like activity in lipogenesis and livolysis (adenosine and pyroglutamic acid), depression of blood sugar content (glycopevtide). htmostatic and nellrotoxic activity (dencichine) and, sedative and hypnotic activity (4-methyl-i-thiazoleethanol) are reported. Heat stable protein increased with root age. The traditional quality criteria appear to be well in accordance with biological activities of nitrogen compounds. Chemical studies of nitrogen compounds seem relatively rare, probably due to difficulty of isolation, subsequently the investigations of biological activities are little.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.317-331
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• 1990

Nitrogen compounds of Panax ginseng and their biological activities in plant and animal were reviewed. Major nitrogen combounds found in P. ginseng are free amino acids, Water soluble teins, insoluble proteins and peptides. Minor nitrogen compounds are dencichine. glycol)roteins. amines, alkaloides, methoxy or alkyl pyrazine derivatives. free nucleosides and nllrleir arid bases. 4-me- thymi-5-thiazoleethanol and pyroglutamic acid. The contents of total nitrogen and protein in root increased until 13 years old rvhich was the highest age tinder investigation. Soluble protein content increased With the root weight and was higher in xylem pith than cortex-epidermis indicating the rlosc relation with root growth. Arginine which covered 58% of total free amino aroids may serve as a storage nitrogen. Arginine seems to be changed into proline in rhizome, threonine in stem and again threoning and arginine in leaf. The greater the root weight the higher the polyaminc content. Polyamine stimulated the growth of root callus. Physiological roles of other minor nitrogen compounds are unknown although dencichine content is relatively high (0.5% d.w.). biochemical and pharmatological activities of some nitrogen compounds for animal were more investigated than physiological roll iota plant itself. Radiation and U.V. protective function (heat stable protein), insulin-like activity in lipogenesis and lipolysis (adenosine and pyroglutamic acid), depression of blood sugar content (glycopeptide). hemostatir and nellrotoxic activity (denrichine) and. sedative and hypnotic activity (4-methyl-5-thiazoleethilnol) are reported. Heat stable protein increased with root age. The traditional quality critsria appear to be well in accordance with biological activities of nitrogen compounds. Chemical stlldies of nitrogen compounds seem relatively rare, probably dole to difficulty of isolation, subsequently the investigations of biological activities are little.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.726-733
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• 2021

Background: Panax notoginseng is a highly valued medicinal herb used widely in China and many Asian countries. Its root and rhizome have long been used for the treatment of cardiovascular and hematological diseases. Imaging the spatial distributions and dynamics of metabolites in heterogeneous plant tissues is significant for characterizing the metabolic networks of Panax notoginseng, and this will also provide a highly informative approach to understand the complex molecular changes in the processing of Panax notoginseng. Methods: Here, a high-sensitive MALDI-MS imaging method was developed and adopted to visualize the spatial distributions and spatiotemporal changes of metabolites in different botanical parts of Panax notoginseng. Results: A wide spectrum of metabolites including notoginsenosides, ginsenosides, amino acids, dencichine, gluconic acid, and low-molecular-weight organic acids were imaged in Panax notoginseng rhizome and root tissues for the first time. Moreover, the spatiotemporal alterations of metabolites during the steaming of Panax notoginseng root were also characterized in this study. And, a series of metabolites such as dencichine, arginine and glutamine that changed with the steaming of Panax notoginseng were successfully screened out and imaged. Conclusion: These spatially-resolved metabolite data not only enhance our understanding of the Panax notoginseng metabolic networks, but also provide direct evidence that a serious of metabolic alterations occurred during the steaming of Panax notoginseng.