• 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.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.210-216
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• 2007

The backbone structure of ginsenosides, active ingredients of Panax ginseng, is similar with that of sterol, especially cholesterol. Caenorhabditis elegans (c. elegans) is one of free living nematodes and is well-established animal model for biochemical and genetic studies. C. elegans cannot synthesize de novo cholesterol, although cholesterol is essential requirement for its growth and development. In the present study, we investigated the effects of Korean red ginseng total extract (KRGE), ginseng total saponins (GTS) on life span of C. elegans in cholesterol-deprived and -fed medium. Cholesterol deprivation caused damages on life span of worms throughout F1 to F3 generations. KRGE or GTS supplement to cholesterol-deprived medium restored the life span of worms as much as cholesterol alone-fed medium. In study to identify which ginsenosides are responsible for life span restoring effects of KRGE, we found that ginsenoside Rc supplement not only restored life span of worms grown in cholesterol-deprived medium but also prolonged life span of worms grown in cholesterol-fed medium. These results show a possibility that ginsenosides could be utilized by C. elegans as a sterol substitute and further indicate that ginsenoside Rc is the effective component of Korean red ginseng that prolongs the life span of C. elegans.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.233-239
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• 1998

A GABA synthesizing enzyme, glutamate decarboxylase, has been purified from bovine brain by several chromatographic procedures. The preparation appeared homogeneous on SDS-PAGE. The enzyme is a homodimeric protein with a molecular mass of 120 kDa. The activation of glutamate decarboxylase by ginesenosides from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has been studied. Preincubation of the enzyme with total ginsenoside, $Rb_2$ and Rc ginsenosides, increased glutamate decarboxylase activities in a dose-dependent manner. There was a reproducible decrease in $K_m$, in addition to a increase in $V_{max}$, in response to increasing concentrations of the Rc ginsenoside fraction. Upon addition of the ginsenoside to the enzyme, a decrease in flurorescence intensity was discernible, together with an increase in emission anisotropy. Judging from the anisotropy values, the ginsenoside is rapidly trapped by the protein matrix. Total ginsenoside was administered to rats and the rat brains were removed for the measurement of the changes of GABA shunt regulating enzyme activities. Among the GABA shunt regulating enzymes, only the glutamate decarboxylase activities were increased after ginsenoside treatment. Therefore, it is suggested that the ginsenosides may elevate the GABA level in brain by activation of glutamate decarboxylase and the enzymatic activation might be due to the conformational change induced by binding of ginsenoside to the enzyme.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 1989

The effects of Ginseng saponins on the in vitro biosynthesis of prostaglandins were examined in order to identify the role of some Ginseng components on the regulation of arachidonic arid metabolism. The productions of prostaglandin $E_2$ (PG$E_2$), $F_2$ (PGF2), thromboxane $B_2$(TX$B_2$) and 6-ketoprostaglandin Fl (6-Keto-PGF1) from [3Hl-arachidonic acid were evaluatpf by radiochromatographic analysis with rabbit kidney microtome, human platelet homogenate and bovine aortic microsome. The amounts of the total prostaglandins produced by cyclooxygenase activity and malondialdehyde from arachidonic acid didn't show significant changes in the presence of Ginseng saponins. Both of panaxadiol and panaxatriol didn't affect the production of PG$E_2$ while the formations of PG$F_2$( and TX$B_2$( were nearkedly reduced and the production of prostacyclin was increased. The formation of TXBE was reduced by ginsenoside $Rb_2$, Rc, and Re, however the production of 6-Keto-PGF1 was increased dose dependently up to 1 mg/ml. Moreover, platelet aggregations induced by arachidonic acid and U46619 (9.11-methanepoxy PG$H_2$), TX$A_2$ mimetics, were also inhibited by three ginsenosides. The effect of G-Re on prostacyclin synthetase was inhibited by tranylcypromine, prostacyclin synthetase inhibitor. These results suggest that Ginseng saponins may not directly act on cyclooxygenase but affect on the divergent pathway from endoperoxide.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.405-410
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• 2010

The effect of microwave treatment on Korean ginseng was studied by measuring the changes in moisture, crude lipid, crude ash, crude protein, total dietary fiber and saponin contents, as well as changes in density, color and microstructure. Korean ginseng was treated with 100 or 200 watts of microwaves for 1 or 3 hrs, respectively, followed by drying using an oven at $60^{\circ}C$ for 96 hrs. The moisture contents decreased to 13.12~10.77% from an initial 76.26%. The amounts of lipid and ash were reduced in proportion to the time of microwave treatment and level of microwave power. The amount of protein in ginseng after microwave treatment did not significantly change. The amount of total dietary fiber increased after microwave treatment and the color of dried ginseng became dark. The amounts of ginsenoside-$Rb_1$, $Rb_2+Rb_3$, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, $Rg_1$, $Rg_2+Rh_1$ and $Rg_3$ were reduced after treatment with 100 watts of microwave radiation for 1 and 3. The amounts of ginsenoside-$Rb_1$, Rd, Re, Rf, $Rg_1$, $Rg_2+Rh_1$ and $Rg_3$ after treatment with 200 watts of microwave radiation for 1 and 3 hr also reduced. On the other hand, the amounts of ginsenoside-$Rb_2+Rb_3$ and Rc after treatment of ginseng with 200 watts of microwave radiation for 1 and 3 hrs were increased.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.536-539
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• 2003

Commercial white and red ginseng concentrates were analysed for total ginsenoside contents, and compositions of ginsenosides $Rb_1,\;Rb_2,\;Rc,\;Re,\;Rf,\;Rg_1,\;20(S)\;Rg_3,\;20(S)\;Rh_1,\;and\;20(R)\;Rh_1$. The content of crude saponin and total ginsenosides of white ginseng concentrates (WGC) were about 2-3 times higher than those of red ginseng concentrates (RGC). HPLC showed that each ginsenoside content was higher in WGC, with those of $Rb_1,\;Rg_1,\;and\;Rb_2$ being over three times higher than that of RGC. 20(S)- and 20(R)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$, specific artifacts found only in red ginseng, were detected both in WGC and RGC by HPLC. differences in the contents of these specific ginsenosides between WGC and RGC were not significant. The contents of 20(S)-ginsenoside $Rg_1$, determined by HPLC were 0.40 and 0.53 in WGC, whereas 0.48% and 0.47%, and those of 20(R)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$, were 0.14 and 0.22% in WGC, and 0.10 and 0.11% in RGC using the methods of shibata and food Code, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2014

This study was carried out to investigate change of ginsenoside contents in red and fresh ginseng according to root part and age by hydrolysis. Neutral total ginsenoside contents by hydrolysis in 6-year main root and lateral root were significantly increased than those by non-hydrolysis, as 41.6 and 32.8%, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in red ginseng. In fresh ginseng, ginsenoside contents of the protopanaxatriol group such as Re, Rf, $Rg_1$, $Rg_2$, and $Rh_1$ were not significantly different, but $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, $Rb_3$, Rc, and Rd showed significant difference. The increase rate of neutral total ginsenoside content by hydrolysis was higher in epidermis-cortex than stele. Also, the neutral total ginsenoside content was fine root > rhizome > lateral root > main root, respectively. While there was no tendency towards the increase of ginsenoside by hydrolysis with the increase of root age in fine root and rhizome, there was significant decrease in main root and lateral root.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.340-344
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• 1987

Saponins of ginseng root, leaf and stem were identified by TLC. Eleven unknown spots were detected in ginseng leaf and ten unknown spots in ginseng stem on TLC besides seven ginsenosides such as $ginsenoside-Rg_1,\;-Rf,\;-Re,\;-Rd,\;-Rc,\;-Rb_2,\;and\;-Rb_1$ which are contained in ginseng root. $Ginsenoside-Rg_3\;and\;-Rg_2$ were identified on TLC from mild hydrolysates with 50% acetic acid of total saponins from ginseng root, leaf and stem. Meanwhile, panaxadiol, panaxatriol and oleanolic acid were identified from hydrolysates with 7% ethanolic sulfuric acid of total saponin of ginseng root, while panaxadiol and panaxatriol from those of total saponins of ginseng leaf and stem.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.260-264
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• 1993

In order to determine the stability of ginseng components in this salt concentration when used to ginseng as additive ingredient of sauces or seasonings, we study on the content and charactristic of ginsenosides and changes in pH and color, ginseng tail and ginseng extract were treated with various concentration of NaCl solution. In this experiment, extract of ginseng tail were increased in pH as NaCl concentration were increased, but ginseng extract have not changed evidently. The both solution were decreased in color as the salt concentration were increased. Yield of n-butanol extract was decreased in 5% NaCl concentration, while it was increased in the above concentration, and ginseng extract was changed higher than ginseng tail. Ginsenosides content were increased in 5% NaCl concentration, both $ginsenosied-Rb_1$, $-Rb_2$, -Rc, -Rd of diol line and ginsenoside-Re of triol line and increased in above NaCl concentration. Especially ginsenoside-Re showed to sensitive response to the changes of the salt concentration.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.33-49
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• 2010

Objectives: The aim of this experiment is to provide an objective differentiation of cultivated ginseng, mountain ginseng through component analysis, and to know the change of gin senoside components in the process of heating and fermentation Methods: Comparative analyses of ginsenoside $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, $Rg_1$, $Rg_3$, $Rh_1$, and $Rh_2$, from the cultivated ginseng 4 and 6 years, and mountain cultivated ginseng were conducted using HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography, hereafter HPLC). And the same analyses were conducted in the process of heating and fermentation using mixed Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium lactis for 7 days. Results: The change of ginsenosides to the process of red ginseng and fermentation, cultivated ginseng and mountain cultivated ginseng were showed another results. Mountain ginseng showed a lot of change compared with cultivated ginsengs. In the 7 days of fermentation, mountain ginseng showed that ginsenoside $Rg_1$, $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, Rc, and Rd were decreased and increased ginsenoside Re, Rf, $Rg_3$ and $Rh_1$ were increased compared with cultivated ginseng Conclusions: It seemed that ginsenosides of mountain cultivated ginseng was better resolved than cultivated ginseng because the difference of structure or distribution of ginsenosides in the condition of fermentation.