• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 2011

The human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) cardiac $K^+$ channels are one of the representative pharmacological targets for development of drugs against cardiovascular diseases such as arrhythmia. Panax ginseng has been known to exhibit cardioprotective effects. In a previous report we demonstrated that ginsenoside $Rg_3$ regulates HERG $K^+$ channels by decelerating deactivation. However, little is known about how ginsenoside metabolites regulate HERG $K^+$ channel activity. In the present study, we examined the effects of ginsenoside metabolites such as compound K (CK), protopanaxadiol (PPD), and protopanaxatriol (PPT) on HERG $K^+$ channel activity by expressing human a subunits in Xenopus oocytes. CK induced a large persistent deactivatingtail current ($I_{deactivating-tail}$) and significantly decelerated deactivating current decay in a concentration-dependent manner. The $EC_{50}$ for persistent $I_{deactivating-tail}$ was $16.6{\pm}1.3$ ${\mu}M$. In contrast to CK, PPT accelerated deactivating-tail current deactivation. PPD itself had no effects on deactivating-tail currents, whereas PPD inhibited ginsenoside $Rg_3$-induced persistent $I_{deactivating-tail}$ and accelerated HERG $K^+$ channel deactivation in a concentration-dependent manner. These results indicate that ginsenoside metabolites exhibit differential regulation on Ideactivating-tail of HERG $K^+$ channel.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2012

The major commercial ginsengs are Panax ginseng Meyer (Korean ginseng), P. quinquifolium L. (American ginseng), and P. notoginseng (Burk.) FH Chen (Notoginseng). P. ginseng is the most commonly used as an adaptogenic agent and has been shown to enhance physical performance, promote vitality, increase resistance to stress and aging, and have immunomodulatory activity. These ginsengs contain saponins, which can be classified as dammarane-type, ocotillol-type and oleanane-type oligoglycosides, and polysaccharides as main constituents. Dammarane ginsenosides are transformed into compounds such as the ginsenosides $Rg_3$, $Rg_5$, and $Rk_1$ by steaming and heating and are metabolized into metabolites such as compound K, ginsenoside $Rh_1$, proto- and panaxatriol by intestinal microflora. These metabolites are nonpolar, pharmacologically active and easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. However, the activities metabolizing these constituents into bioactive compounds differ significantly among individuals because all individuals possess characteristic indigenous strains of intestinal bacteria. To overcome this difference, ginsengs fermented with enzymes or microbes have been developed.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 1982

Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf and Rg1 were effectively isolated from ginseng root by preparative liquid chromatography (LC) on two PrepPAK-500/c18 cartridges in series and semipreparative LC on a .mu. Bondapak cabohydrate analysis column, a .mu.Bondapak C18 column or a .mu. Porasil column. The identities of the isolated ginsenosides were confirmed by analytical high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and infrared spectrophotometry. By this method large scale isolation of pure ginsenosides was efficiently accomplished.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.434-438
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• 2008

To selection of optimal shading material, two-year-old ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) of new cultivar, 'Cheonpoong' (CP), and native species 'Hwangsookjong' (HS) were cultured under three kinds of shading materials such as three-layered blue and a one-layered black PE (polyethylene) net (TBSB), blue PE sheet (BS), and aluminium coated PE sheet (AS) in imperfectly drained paddy soil. Growth characteristics, yield and ginsenoside contents were investigated under three shading materials. Yield and ginsenoside contents of ginseng were distinctly affected by intensity and quality of sunlight penetrated through shading materials. Light transmission ratio, air and soil temperature according to shading materials were higher in order of BS, AS, and TBSB. However, ratio of aerial phase and porosity of the soil were higher in order of AS, BS, and TBSB, respectively. There was no significantly difference in the ratio of rusty colored root by shading materials. CP showed higher stem length, leaf area, and root weight than that of HS, while the former showed distinctly lower discolored leaf ratio than that the other. Eight kinds of ginsenosides content of CP were higher than that of HS in $Rg_1$, Re, Rf, $Rb_1$ and Rc except $Rg_2$, $Rb_2$, and $Rb_3$. Total ginsenoside contents of CP was distinctly higher than that of HS. Total ginsenoside contents as affected by shading materials was higher in order of BS, TBSB, and AS in CP, while TBSB, BS, and AS in HS.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2018

Background: The use of different methods for the processing of ginseng can result in alterations in its medicinal properties and efficacy. White ginseng (WG), frozen ginseng (FG), and red ginseng (RG) are produced using different methods. WG, FG, and RG possess different pharmacological properties. Methods: WG, FG, and RG extracts and pure ginsenosides were administered to rats to study the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution characteristics of the following ginsenosides-DRg1, Re, Rb1, and Rd. The concentrations of the ginsenosides in the plasma and tissues were determined using UPLC-MS/MS. Results: The rate and extent of absorption of Rg1, Re, Rb1, and Rd appeared to be affected by the different methods used in processing the ginseng samples. The areas under the plasma drug concentration-time curves (AUCs) of Rg1, Re, Rb1, and Rd were significantly higher than those of the pure ginsenosides. In addition, the AUCs of Rg1, Re, Rb1, and Rd were different for WG, FG, and RG. The amounts of Rg1, Re, Rd, and Rb1 were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the tissues than those of the pure ginsenosides. The amounts of Re, Rb1, and Rd from the RG extract were significantly higher than those from the WG and FG extracts in the heart, lungs, and kidneys of the rats. Conclusion: Our results show that the use of different methods to process ginseng might affect the pharmacokinetics and oral bioavailability of ginseng as well as the tissue concentrations of Rg1, Re, Rd, and Rb1.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1003-1006
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• 2003

The quality of dried ginseng products (white ginseng, red ginseng, and taeguk ginseng) was investigated according to the National Standards. All the dried ginseng products met the general quality standard established: moisture content of 14.0% or less, ash content of 5.0% or less, and water-saturated n-butanol extracts of 2.0% or more. Ginsenoside $Rb_1$, Rf, and $Rg_1$, the effective components of Korean ginseng were detected by HPLC analysis. However, uniformity of individual products within a package was not kept for almost all of the products except for red ginseng products.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 1981

The ginsenosides of Korean ginseng decomposed profoundly to produce artifact products of prosapogenin $A_{1}$, $A_{2}$ and $A_{3}$ from ginsenoside Rg$_{1}$, prosapogenin $C_{1}$, $C_{2}$ and $C_{3}$ from ginsenoside Re, and prosapogenin E$_{1}$, E$_{2}$ and E$_{3}$ from ginsenoside Rb$_{1}$ by the acid treatment under physiological condition such as 37.deg.C incubation in 0.1 N HCI. 2. The chemical structures of the artifact substances were determined by the analysis CMR and mass spectra of TMS derivatives as following; table omitted.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.433-441
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• 2021

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), are primarily characterized as dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Ginsenoside-Rg3-enriched Korean Red Ginseng extract (Rg3-KRGE) is known to exert neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative effects on neurological disorders. However, effects of Rg3-KRGE in EAE remain unclear. Methods: Here, we investigated whether Rg3-KRGE may improve the symptoms and pathological features of myelin oligodendroglial glycoprotein (MOG)_35-55 peptide - induced chronic EAE mice through improving the integrity of the BBB. Results: Rg3-KRGE decreased EAE score and spinal demyelination. Rg3-KRGE inhibited Evan's blue dye leakage in spinal cord, suppressed increases of adhesion molecule platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, extracellular matrix proteins fibronection, and matrix metallopeptidase-9, and prevented decreases of tight junction proteins zonula occludens-1, claudin-3, and claudin-5 in spinal cord following EAE induction. Rg3-KRGE repressed increases of proinflammatory transcripts cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, but enhanced expression levels of anti-inflammatory transcripts arginase-1 and IL-10 in the spinal cord following EAE induction. Rg3-KRGE inhibited the expression of oxidative stress markers (MitoSOX and 4-hydroxynonenal), the enhancement of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 2 (NOX2) and NOX4, and NADPH activity in the spinal cord of chronic EAE mice. Furthermore, apocynin, a NOX inhibitor, mimicked beneficial effects of Rg3-KRGE in chronic EAE mice. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Rg3-KRGE might alleviate behavioral symptoms and pathological features of MS by improving BBB integrity through modulation of NOX2/4 expression.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2014

Ginsenosides of roots in Panax ginseng were analyzed by metabolic-targeting HPLC using the partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and compared depending on sowing methods between direct seeding and transplanting method. Score plots derived from PLS-DA could identify the sowing method between the direct seeding and transplanting method in P. ginseng roots. The ginsenoside compounds were assigned as Rg1, Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, and Rd. Contents of Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1, Rc, Rb3, and Rd of main roots produced from the transplanting method were relatively higher than those of samples produced from direct seeding method. Also, contents of Rg1, Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, and Rd of lateral roots from the transplanted samples were relatively higher than those of samples produced from direct seeding method. Therefore, HPLC with PLS-DA analysis can be a straightforward tool for identification of ginsenosides in main or lateral roots of P. ginseng obtained from two different seeding methods between direct and transplanting methods.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2005

Ginseng Radix, the root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer has been used in Eastern Asia for 2000 years as a tonic and restorative, promoting health and longevity. Two varieties are commercially available: white ginseng(Ginseng Radix Alba) is produced by air-drying the root, while red ginseng(Ginseng Radix Rubra) is produced by steaming the root followed by drying. These two varieties of different processing have somewhat differences by heat processing between them. During the heat processing for preparing red ginseng, it has been found to exhibit inactivation of catabolic enzymes, thereby preventing deterioration of ginseng quality and the increased antioxidant-like substances which inhibit lipid peroxide formation, and also good gastro-intestinal absorption by gelatinization of starch. Moreover, studies of changes in ginsenosides composition due to different processing of ginseng roots have been undertaken. The results obtained showed that red ginseng differ from white ginseng due to the lack of acidic malonyl-ginsenosides. The heating procedure in red ginseng was proved to degrade the thermally unstable malonyl-ginsenoside into corresponding netural ginsenosides. Also the steaming process of red ginseng causes degradation or transformation of neutral ginsenosides. Ginsenosides $Rh_2,\;Rh_4,\;Rs_3,\;Rs_4\;and\;Rg_5$, found only in red ginseng, have been known to be hydrolyzed products derived from original saponin by heat processing, responsible for inhibitory effects on the growth of cancer cells through the induction of apoptosis. 20(S)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ was also formed in red ginseng and was shown to exhibit vasorelaxation properties, antimetastatic activities, and anti-platelet aggregation activity. Recently, steamed red ginseng at high temperature was shown to provide enhance the yield of ginsenosides $Rg_3\;and\;Rg_5$ characteristic of red ginseng Additionally, one of non-saponin constituents, panaxytriol, was found to be structually transformed from polyacetylenic alcohol(panaxydol) showing cytotoxicity during the preparation of red ginseng and also maltol, antioxidant maillard product, from maltose and arginyl-fructosyl-glucose, amino acid derivative, from arginine and maltose. In regard to the in vitro and in vivo comparative biological activities, red ginseng was reported to show more potent activities on the antioxidant effect, anticarcinogenic effect and ameliorative effect on blood circulation than those of white ginseng. In oriental medicine, the ability of red ginseng to supplement the vacancy(허) was known to be relatively stronger than that of white ginseng, but very few are known on its comparative clinical studies. Further investigation on the preclinical and clinical experiments are needed to show the differences of indications and efficacies between red and white ginsengs on the basis of oriental medicines.