• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-20
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• 2020

Background: Although a number of Panax ginseng cultivars have been developed by Korean researchers in recent years, there has been insufficient analysis of their beneficial properties. In this study, we sought to identify useful ginseng varieties as functional materials. Methods and Results: We evaluated effects of root extracts of 10 ginseng cultivars (Cheongsun; CS, Chunpoong; CP, Gopoong; GP, Gumpoong; GMP, K1, Sunhyang; SH, Sunone; SO, Sunpoong; SP, Sunun; SU and Yunpoong; YP) against the inhibitory effects of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in mouse brain microglial BV2 cells, as well as the binding of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), a marker related to memory. Ginsenosides, such as 20 (S)-protopanaxadiols (PPDs), including ginsenoside-Rb1, -Rb2, -Rb3, -Rc, -Rd, and - Rg3 and 20 (S)-protopanaxatriols (PPTs) including -Re, -Rg1, and -Rg2 were analyzed by HPLC. We observed that the cultivar GMP showed the highest inhibitory effect (60.8%) against NO production at 20 ㎍/㎖. Those cultivars showing the significantly highest inhibition effects against ROS at 20 ㎍/㎖ were K1 (57.3%), SP (54.5%), YP (53.1%), CP (51.7%), CS (50.9%) and SH (49.6%). At 50 ㎍/㎖, K1 showed the most potent inhibitory effect (51.2%) on NMDAR binding. The total phenol content of SH (1.89 mg/g) and K1 (1.73 mg/g) were higher than those of the other cultivars, whereas in terms of PD/PT ratios, the values of CP (0.98), K1 (1.05) and SO (1.05) were lower than those of the other cultivars. On the basis of correlation coefficient (0.7064) between NMDAR inhibition and ONOO^- scavenging activity. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that the cultivars K1 and SH could be useful ginseng resources as functional materials with favorable cognition-improving and antioxidative properties.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 1981

The influence of high temperature storage on the chemical composition and color intensity of the concentrated red ginseng extract(RGE) was investigated. The concentrated RGE was prepared by extraction of red ginseng tails with water and concentrated under reduced pressure. Changes in free sugars, saponin patterns and brown color intensity were measured during 96 hours of heat treatment at various temperature. A decrease in the contents of glucose, fructose and sucrose was resulted as the brown color intensity increased during the storage. The sugar contents and color intensity showed rapid initial change followed by slowing down at higher temperature. A significant relationship was found between sugar content and browning rate. The saponin pattern measured by high performance liquid chromatography, particularly in the region of protopanaxtriol, was also affected significantly. The peak heights of ginsenoside -Re and $-Rg_1$ were decreased while those of ginsenoside $-Rg_2$ and -Rh group were increased.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.16-26
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• 2012

Ginseng is one of the most widely used herbal medicines and is reported to have a wide range of therapeutic and pharmacological applications. Ginseng may also be potentially valuable in treating cardiovascular diseases. Research concerning cardiovascular disease is focusing on purified individual ginsenoside constituents of ginseng to reveal specific mechanisms instead of using whole ginseng extracts. The most commonly studied ginsenosides are $Rb_1$, $Rg_1$, $Rg_3$, $Rh_1$, Re, and Rd. The molecular mechanisms and medical applications of ginsenosides in the treatment of cardiovascular disease have attracted much attention and been the subject of numerous publications. Here, we review the current literature on the myriad pharmacological functions and the potential benefits of ginseng in this area. In vitro investigations using cell cultures and in vivo animal models have indicated ginseng's potential cardiovascular benefits through diverse mechanisms that include antioxidation, modifying vasomotor function, reducing platelet adhesion, influencing ion channels, altering autonomic neurotransmitters release, and improving lipid profiles. Some 40 ginsenosides have been identified. Each may have different effects in pharmacology and mechanisms due to their different chemical structures. This review also summarizes results of relevant clinical trials regarding the cardiovascular effects of ginseng, particularly in the management of hypertension and improving cardiovascular function.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.352-364
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to quantitatively analyze for quality assessment of eighteen marker compounds, including homogentisic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, spinosin, liquiritin, hesperidin, ginsenoside Rg1, liquiritigenin, ginsenoside Rb1, glycyrrhizin, 6-gingerol, atractylenolide III, honokiol, costunolide, dehydrocostuslactone, atractylenolide II, nootkatone, magnolol, and atractylenolide I, in Hyangsayukgunja-tang using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometer. The column for separation of eighteen marker components were used a UPLC BEH $C_{18}$ analytical column ($2.1{\times}100mm$, $1.7{\mu}$) and kept at $45^{\circ}C$ by gradient elution with 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in water and acetonitrile as mobile phase. The flow rate and injection volume were 0.3 mL/min and $2.0{\mu}l$, respectively. The correlation coefficient of all marker compounds was ${\geq}0.9914$, which means good linearity, within the test ranges. The limits of detection and quantification values of the all analytes were in the ranges 0.04-1.11 and 0.13-3.33 ng/mL, respectively. As a result, five compounds, homogentisic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, spinosin, liquiritigenin, and atractylenolide I, in this sample were not detected and the amounts of the 13 compounds except for the 5 compounds were $8.10-6736.37{\mu}g/g$ in Hyangsayukgunja-tang extract.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2024

Skeletal muscle (SM) is the largest organ of the body and is largely responsible for the metabolism required to maintain body functions. Furthermore, the maintenance of SM is dependent on the activation of muscle satellite (stem) cells (MSCs) and the subsequent proliferation and fusion of differentiating myoblasts into mature myofibers (myogenesis). Natural compounds are being used as therapeutic options to promote SM regeneration during aging, muscle atrophy, sarcopenia, cachexia, or obesity. In particular, ginseng-derived compounds have been utilized in these contexts, though ginsenoside Rg1 is mostly used for SM mass management. These compounds primarily function by activating the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, upregulating myogenin and MyoD to induce muscle hypertrophy, downregulating atrophic factors (atrogin1, muscle ring-finger protein-1, myostatin, and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production), and suppressing the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in cachexia. Ginsenoside compounds are also used for obesity management, and their anti-obesity effects are attributed to peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) inhibition, AMPK activation, glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) translocation, and increased phosphorylations of insulin resistance (IR), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), and Akt. This review was undertaken to provide an overview of the use of ginseng-related compounds for the management of SM-related disorders.

• 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 the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.1213-1223
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• 2018

This study was carried out to investigate extraction efficiency by microwave for extraction of pesticide residues and the bioconversion of ginsenosides of ginseng leaf by using various lactic acid bacteria in order to promote the utilization of ginseng leaf. The hexane extraction by microwave of tolclofos-methyl and azoxystrobin in ginseng leaf was efficient. The optimal condition for extraction of tolclofos-methyl and azoxystrobin in ginseng leaf by microwave was 50 to 95 watts of power supply, 3 minutes of extraction.The gisenosides Rg1 and Rb1 contents have decreased, while the Rh1, Rg3, Rk1 and Rh2 have increased due to fermentation. The ginsenosides Rg3 of the fermented ginseng leaf has increased and the contents were $70.62{\sim}77.61{\mu}g/g$(control $2.77{\mu}g/g$). The total phenolic acid content and electron donating ability of the ginseng leaf have totally decreased after 7 days of fermentation. The total phenolic acid contents of the fermented ginseng leaf with various lactic acid bacteria did not show any tendency as different strains.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.324-331
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• 2013

Channels formed by the co-assembly of the KCNQ1 subunit and the mink (KCNE1) subunit underline the slowly activating delayed rectifier $K^+$ channels ($I_{Ks}$) in the heart. This $K^+$ channel is one of the main pharmacological targets for the development of drugs against cardiovascular disease. Panax ginseng has been shown to exhibit beneficial cardiovascular effects. In a previous study, we showed that ginsenoside Rg3 activates human KCNQ1 $K^+$ channel currents through interactions with the K318 and V319 residues. However, little is known about the effects of ginsenoside metabolites on KCNQ1 $K^+$ alone or the KCNQ1 + KCNE1 $K^+$ ($I_{Ks}$) channels. In the present study, we examined the effect of protopanaxatriol (PPT) and compound K (CK) on KCNQ1 $K^+$ and $I_{Ks}$ channel activity expressed in Xenopus oocytes. PPT more strongly inhibited the $I_{Ks}$ channel currents than the currents of KCNQ1 $K^+$ alone in concentration- and voltage-dependent manners. The $IC_{50}$ values on $I_{Ks}$ and KCNQ1 alone currents for PPT were $5.18{\pm}0.13$ and $10.04{\pm}0.17{\mu}M$, respectively. PPT caused a leftward shift in the activation curve of $I_{Ks}$ channel activity, but minimally affected KCNQ1 alone. CK exhibited slight inhibition on $I_{Ks}$ and KCNQ1 alone $K^+$ channel currents. These results indicate that ginsenoside metabolites show limited effects on $I_{Ks}$ channel activity, depending on the structure of the ginsenoside metabolites.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.86-91
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• 2011

Ginsenoside (G)-F1 is an enzymatic metabolite generated from G-Rg1. Although this metabolite has been reported to suppress platelet aggregation and to reduce gap junction-mediated intercellular communication, the modulatory activity of G-F1 on the functional role of skin-derived cells has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the regulatory role of G-F1 on the cellular responses of B16 melanoma cells. G-F1 strongly suppressed the proliferation of B16 cells up to 60% at 200 ${\mu}g/mL$, while only diminishing the viability of HEK293 cells up to 30%. Furthermore, G-F1 remarkably induced morphological change and clustering of B16 melanoma cells. The melanin production of B16 cells was also significantly blocked by G-F1 up to 70%. Interestingly, intracellular signaling events involved in cell proliferation, migration, and morphological change were up-regulated at 1 h incubation but down-regulated at 12 h. Therefore, our results suggest that G-F1 can be applied as a novel anti-skin cancer drug with anti-proliferative and anti-migration features.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.216-223
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• 1998

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) represent the unique enzymatic system degrddinf cAMP and cGMP which play a major role in the regulation of cell physiology. To investigate a possible molecular mechanism of ginsenosides, their activities were evaluated on PDEs which are recently described is new therapeutic targets. PDEs are classified into 7 families according to their genes (PDEI to PDE7) and are differently distributed in tissues. The IC50 values of ginsenosides were determined on PDEI to PDE 5 chromatographically isolatetl from bovine aorta. The results show that total ginseng saponin extract preferentially inhibits PDE 1 and PDE4 at concentrations nearby 200 ug/ml. Protopanaxadiol (PPD) fraction acts preferentially on PDE4 with and IC50 value of 100 nlml and inhibits also PDEI and PDE5 at 14 to 2 fold higher concentrations, respectively. Protopanaxatriol (PPT) fraction preferentially inhibits PDE 1 with and IC50 value of 170 ug/ml. Compound Rgl, originated from PPT fraction, and RC3 (5) represent the most active compounds towards PDE 1 with IC50 values around 80 UM. However Rg3 (R), epimer of Rgl (5) has no effect on the various PDEs tested, excepted on PDE3 rich is sligthly sensitive Compound Rbl, originated from PPD, acts on both PDEI and PDE4. It if two fold less active than Rgl and Rg3 (5) on PDEI. Taken together, these results mainly suggest that PDEI and PDE4 inhibitions could be a molecular mechanism which would participate in ginsenoside mechanisms, especially the effect of PPD on blood vessel and on CNS.