• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.16-20
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• 2021

We aimed to compare the content of ginsenosides and the pharmacokinetics after the oral administration of four different ginseng products at a dose of 1 g/kg in rats. The four different ginseng products were fresh ginseng extract, red ginseng extract, white ginseng extract, and saponin enriched white ginseng extract prepared from the radix of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. The ginsenoside concentrations in the ginseng product and the rat plasma samples were determined using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Eight or nine ginsenosides of the 15 tested ginsenosides were detected; however, the content and total ginsenosides varied depending on the preparation method. Moreover, the content of triglycosylated ginsenosides was higher than that of diglycosylated ginsenosides, and deglycosylated ginsenosides were not present in any preparation. After the single oral administrations of four different ginseng products in rats, only four ginsenosides, such as 20(S)-ginsenosides Rb1 (GRb1), GRb2, GRc, and GRd, were detected in the rat plasma samples among the 15 ginsenosides tested. The plasma concentrations of GRb1, GRb2, GRc, and GRd were different depends on the preparation method but pharmacokinetic features of the four ginseng products were similar. In conclusion, a good correlation between the area under the concentration curve and the content of GRb1, GRb2, and GRc, but not GRd, in the ginseng products was identified and it might be the result of their higher content and intestinal biotransformation of the ginseng product.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2014

According to the results of my study on the chromatographic analysis of fresh ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) roots, most of the contents of protopanxadiol ginsenosides $Rb_1$, Rc, $Rb_2$, and Rd are derived from the corresponding malonyl ginsenosides in fresh ginseng by a heat process. Also, I confirmed that acetyl ginsenosides are naturally occurring constituents in fresh ginseng, not decarboxylates from malonyl ginsenosides. Seven neutral ginsenosides $Rg_1$, Re, Rf, Rc, $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, and Rd were transformed to specific conversions in red ginseng preparation conditions. The conversion paths progress by three rules concluded from my study. These conversion rules are I: the ether bond is stable at positions 3 and 6 in the dammarane skeleton, II: the ether bond between sugars is stable in glycosides, and III: the ether bond to glycosides is unstable at position 20 in the dammarane skeleton.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.8-8
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• 2012

Ginseng have been traditionally used for strengthening immunity, providing nutrition and recovering health from fatigue. Recently, pharmaceutical activities of ginseng roots have been proven by many researches, and ginseng has become a world-famous medicinal plant. Ginseng saponin, ginsenoside, is one of the most important secondary metabolite in ginseng which has various pharmacological activities. Many studies have aimed to convert major ginsenosides to the more active minor ginsenoside Rg3 for consumer demand ginseng product. Microbial strain GS514 strain was isolated from soil around ginseng roots for enzymatic preparation of ginsenoside Rg3, which strain shows strong ability of converting ginsenoside Rb1and Rd into Rg3 in the solution with NaCl. The gene encoding a ${\beta}$-glucosidase from this GS514 was cloned and expressed in the BL21 (DE3) strain of Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme was purified and characterized. The molecular mass of purified was 87.5 kDa, as determined by SDS-PAGE. The gene sequence revealed significant homology to the family 3 glycoside hydrolases. The purified single enzyme also catalyzed the conversion of ginsenoside Rb1 into Rg3. This target enzyme will be able to produce as much saponin for consumer demand ginseng product. Anti-apoptotic proteins bind with pro-apoptotic proteins to induce apoptosis mechanism. Over expression of these anti-apoptotic proteins lead to several cancers by preventing apoptosis. Docking simulations were performed for anti-apoptotic proteins with several ginsenosides from Panax ginseng. Our finding shows ginsenosides particularly Rg3, Rh2 and Rf have more binding affinity with apoptotic proteins. Further, these docking system of each ginsenosides can be extended to experimental screen system for further brief confirmations of several diseases.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.189-192
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• 2005

Anti-amnestic activities of Korean red ginseng (Ginseng Radix Rubra) and Crude drug-combined preparations (RGCDP-1, RGCDP-2, and RGCDP-3) were evaluated by the animal experiment. RGCDP-1 and RGCDP-2 were prepared based on Korean folk prescriptions, 'Chongmyongtang' and 'Guibitang', respectively, while RGCDP-3, by a combination of both. Among the three preparations, RGCDP-3 was found to show the most potent anti-amnestic activity as evaluated by the passive avoidance test with mice, indicating synergistic action by combined effect of RGCDP-1 and RGCDP-2.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.323-329
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of mycelia extracts of mushroom-cultured ginseng by-product on electron donating ability and proliferation of hepatic cancer cell (Hep3B) lines and sarcoma 180(S-180). The ginseng by-product was obtained from ginseng residues generated in processing of ginseng water extract. Mushroom strains used for preparation of mushroom mycelia cultured with ginseng residue were Phellinus linteus, Ganoderma lucidum, Coriolus versicolor and Lentinus edodes. The electron donating abilities of the test samples were increased in a dose-dependent manner in the range of 500ppm to 10,000ppm, and Coriolus versicolor extract showed the most potent activity among four mycelia extracts. In an anti-cancer test using Hep3B cells, ethanol extract showed higher antiproliferating effect than water extract. Ethanol extract of Lentinus edodes showed growth-inhibitory effect of 99.1% at 5,000ppm. All of mycelia extracts of mushroom showed the tumor suppressive effect in mice injected with S-180 cells. The growth­inhibitoy rates against tumor cells were 59% for Phellinus linteus, 61% for Ganoderma lucidum, 65% for Coriolus versicolor, 56% for Lentinus edodes. In conclusion, these results suggest that mycelia extracts of mushroom cultured with ginseng by-product have an antiproliferating effect against Hep3B cell and S-180 tumor cells.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 1979

The possibility of utilizing greet amount of by-product of ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. meyer) plant-that is, production of ter from ginseng leaf, was studied and the results are summarized as follows: 1. Ginseng leaf contains more soluble matter than tea leaf (Thea sinensis) and the soluble matter is easily extracted by hot water. 2. Ginseng leaf has less tannin (2.2%) than yea leaf (7.89%). Therefore, it has less astringency than tea. 3. Vitamin C content of ginseng leaf is not compared with that of tea leaf. In fact, ginseng leaf contains Vitamin C $50{\sim}110$ times of tea leaf. 4. Ginseng leaf contains $5.7{\sim}8.5%$ glycoside (dammaranes) and the ratio of panaxadiol to panaxatriol is $0.54{\sim}0.75$ that is, panaxatriol contents is high. 5. For the acceptability of the product related with the soluble matter contents and color the method of extracting 2g of ginseng leaf product in 200ml of water for 3 minutes is recommended. 6. As a result of evaluating the flavor characteristics and effective components of the products, product D which is produced by the process of steaming, drying and roasting is considered to have the best quality.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.179-193
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• 2020

Ginseng products on the market show high variability in their composition and overall quality. This becomes a challenge for both consumers and health-care professionals who are in search of high-quality, reliable ginseng products that have a proven safety and efficacy profile. The botanical extract standardization is of crucial importance in this context as it determines the reproducibility of the quality of the product that is essential for the evaluation of effectiveness and safety. This review focuses on the well-characterized and standardized ginseng extract, G115, which represents an excellent example of an herbal drug preparation with constant safety and efficacy within the herbal medicinal products. Over the many decades, extensive preclinical and clinical research has been conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of G115. In vitro and in vivo studies of G115 have shown pharmacological effects on physical performance, cognitive function, metabolism, and the immune system. Furthermore, a significant number of G115 clinical studies, most of them double-blind placebo-controlled, have reinforced the findings of preclinical evidence and proved the efficacy of this extract on blood glucose and lipid regulation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, energy, physical performance, and immune and cognitive functions. Clinical trials and 50 years of presence on the market are proof of a good safety profile of G115.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.471-478
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• 2011

Ginseng, the root of Panax ginseng, is one of the oldest herbal medicines. It has a variety of physiological and pharmacological effects. Recently, we isolated a subset of glycolipoproteins that we designated gintonin, and demonstrated that it induced transient change in intracellular calcium concentration $([Ca^{2+}]_i)$ in cells via G-protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway(s). The previous method for gintonin isolation included multiple steps using methanol, butanol, and other organic solvents. In the present study, we developed a much simple method for the preparation of gintonin from ginseng root using 80% ethanol extraction. The extracted fraction was designated edible gintonin. This method produced a high yield of gintonin (0.20%). The chemical characteristics of gintonin such as molecular weight and the composition of the extract product were almost identical as the gintonin prepared using the previous extraction regimen involving various organic solvents. We also examined the physiological effects of edible gintonin on endogenous $Ca^{2+}$-activated $Cl^-$ channel activity of Xenopus oocytes. The 50% effective dose was $1.03{\pm}0.3\;{\mu}g$/mL. Finally, since gintonin preparation through ethanol extraction is easily reproducible, gintonin could be commercially applied for ginseng-derived functional health food and/or drug following the confirmations of in vitro and in vivo physiological and pharmacological effects of gintonin.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2014

In this study, edible protopanaxadiol saponin enriched fraction were prepared by ultrafiltration (UF). Ginseng extract was prepared from mixtures of ginseng main root and rootlet (root: rootlet = 4 : 6). UF system was used the four-piston Diaphragm pump equipped with 5 kDa pore size Hydrosart Cassette made by regenerated cellulose acetate (CA) or 3 kDa pore size Hollow Fiber cartridge made by polyethersulfone (PES). Total ginsenoside contents of concentrated fraction by UF system was found to higher, compared to before those of untreated method. Especially, processing of UF showed the increase of PPD-type ginsenoside, while PPT-type ginsenoside was gradually decreased by both 3 kDa and 5 kDa membrane. After removal of 80% water by the 5 kDa Hydrosart Cassette and by 3 kDa Hollow Fiber cartridge, ginsenoside Rb1 content was higher 37.2 mg/g and 25.3 mg/g than 20.8 mg/g in untreated process. The ratio of Rb1 to Rg1 (Rb1/Rg1) and PPD- to PPT- type ginsenoside (PPD/PPT) were higher in inner fluid of ginseng extract after UF by 3 kDa cartridge (47.1 and 23.5, respectively) and 5 kDa Cassette (25.3 and 11.9, respectively) than those of before UF (5.7 and 3.7, respectively). PPD-type ginsenoside enriched fraction by UF system could be developed as a new ginseng material in food and cosmetic industrials.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.229-233
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• 2009

The centrifugal coating granulating system, a new method of preparing red ginseng extract pills, has been developed. The red ginseng extract was first powdered with 85.5% of edible ethanol and dried for 3 to 4 hours at 50$^{\circ}C$. The powders were fed in chamber of centrifugal coating granulating system and then granulated, sequentially. The centrifugal system operated at 20 to 50$^{\circ}C$ of inlet temperature, 1 to 1,000 g/min of feeding speed, 60 to 70$^{\circ}C$ of atmosphere temperature of intake, 3.0 to 4.0 bar of spray atmosphere pressure, 1,000 to 1,500 rpm of centrifugal plate speed and 25 to 40$^{\circ}C$ of outlet temperature. The product yield was about 85% and preparation time was 7 to 8 hours. Especially, major ginsenoside components of red ginseng were not decomposed after processing of red ginseng extract pill.