• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 1980

The investigation is concerned with the action of ginseng saponin on the contractile force in the rat heart and with the elucidation of the mechanism of the action. The effect of total ginseng saponin, ginsenoside Rb$_{1}$ of protopanaxadiol derivatives and ginsenoside Re of protopanaxatriol derivatives on the contractile force in isolated spontaneously beating normal rat heart was investigated. Total ginseng saponin was obtained from white ginseng by the method of Shibata and Namba. Ginsenoside Rb$_{1}$ and ginsenoside Re were isolated by the method of and Han, respectively. Total ginseng saponin exhibited a slight increase of the contractile force. Ginsenoside Rb$_{1}$ increased markedly the contractile force and dose dependent increase in contractile force was observed. However, ginsenoside Re did not increase the contractile force, but it prevented spontaneous decrease of the contractility of the heart. The mixture of the same dose of ginsenoside Rb$_{1}$ and Re showed a slight increase in the contractile force and its effect was similar to that obtained by total ginseng saponin. Pretreatment with propranolol abolished the positive inotropic effect of ginsenoside Rb$_{1}$ and the positive inotropic effect of ginsenoside Rb$_{1}$ was not observed in a reserpinized rat heart. Pretreatment with ginsenoside Re decreased or abolished the positive inotropic effect of epinephrine. Activities of Na+, K+ -ATPase were inhibited by ginsenoside Rb$_{1}$, total ginseng saponin and ginsenoside Re and these inhibitory effects were dose dependent. The results suggest that catecholamine release or inhibition of Na+, K+ -ATPase activities may be involved in the positive inotropic effect of gindenoside Rb$_{1}$. Ginsenoside Re counteracted the positive inotropic effect of ginsenoside Rb$_{1}$.

• 한국인삼전략화협의회:학술대회논문집
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• v.2003 no.09
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• pp.77-88
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• 2003

"Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) has been a popular herbal remedy used in eastern Asian cultures for thousands of years, and a number of health claims are made for it. Modern therapeutic claims for ginseng refer to vitality, immune function, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and sexual function. These claims are mostly based on uncontrolled or non-randomized studies. Among modern therapeutic claims, however, therapeutic effects for diabetes can reasonably be accepted. Following experiment was done recently in our lab: this study was designed to compare the antidiabetic activities between Ginseng Radix Alba (GRA), Ginseng Radix Rubra (GRR) and Panax Quinquefoli Radix (PQR) in multiple low dose (MLD) streptozotocin (STZ) (20mg/kg i.p injection for 5 days) induced diabetic rats. In the glucose tolerance test, 500mg/kg of each ginseng ethanol extract was admoinistered intraperitoneally 30min before glucose challenge. While GRA failed to lower blood glucose level, GRR and PQR both significantly prevented the hyperglycemia when compared with the control group. In the MLD STZ-induced diabetic rats, 300 mg/kg of each ginseng ethanol extract was administered intraperitoneally for 2 weeks. Plasma glucose and insulin levels were markedly improved in all treatment groups. While GRR showed the highest antidiabetic activity, and GRA and PQR revealed somewhat equipotent antidiabetic activities, but less than that in GRR-treated group as for as blood parameters and diabetic symptoms such as polydipsia are concerned. Blood glucose levels were closely associated with plasma insulin levels, and this result may suggest that ginseng ethanol extracts showed the activity to enhance insulin secretion as well as preventing destruction of pancreatic islet cells. To elucidate the relationship between antidiabetic activity and ginsenoside profiles, seven major ginsenoside were quantified by HPLC. We figured out the fact that protopanaxatriol (PPT) : proptopanaxadiol (PPD) ratio might play an important role in its hypoglycemia effects."

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.265-270
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• 1985

The saponin yield and its compositional changes of red ginseng extract (RG-EXT) was investigated during extraction at various temperature for 5 times of 8 hours. The higher temperature resulted an increase in solids yield while the total saponin recovered was decreased, particularly at $100^{\circ}C$. A relatively lower thermal stability was found for protopanaxadiol saponin, one of the saponin fractions, than protopanaxatriol saponin. The compositional ratio of saponin at ginsenoside level was little affected by extraction time. The yields data showed that more than 94% of total saponin was recovered by 3$\sim$4 times of 8 hours extraction. Extraction at $80^{\circ}C$ for 4 times of 8 hours were suggested for preparation of RG-EXT from the result of this work.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.227-231
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• 1985

The effect of ethanol concentration on saponin composition of red ginseng extract was studied during extraction at $80^{\circ}C$ for 5 times of 8 hours. The increase in ethanol concentration from 0% to 90% resulted a gradual reduction in solids yield and an increase in the recovery of total ginsenosides. All of the ginsenosides determined were also significantly increased, but ginsenoside-$Rb_1.$-$Rb_2$ and -Rd were relatively decreased a little by raising the concentration 70% to 90%. The yield ratio of protopanaxadiol/protopanaxatriol saponin were in the range of 1.69${\sim}$1.95. No significant improvement in pure saponin yield was observed between 70% and 90% ethanol. Extraction with 70% ethanol was suggested for preparation of red ginseng extract from the result of this work.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 1979

Two pure saponin components, Panax saponin C (protopanaxatriol derivative, ginsenoside Re) and Panax saponin E (protopanaxadiol derivative, ginsenoside $Rb_l$) were isolated from Panax ginseng root and their acute toxicities in mice and antistress effects in rats were investigated. Average lethal doses $(LD_{50})$ of ginsenoside Re were 130mg/kg (i.v.), more than 1,000mg/kg (i.p.) and more than 1,500mg/kg (s.c.), respectively. Average lethal dose of ginsenoside $Rb_{1}$ was 243mg/kg intravenously. Adrenal ascorbic acid and cholesterol contents were significantly decreased when normal rats were exposed to heat $(40^{\circ}C)$ for 30 min. The reduction of the adrenal ascorbic acid and cholesterol contents in rats was partially prevented when the rats received the ginseng saponins prior to exposure to heat stress and most pronounced effects were observed in rats received ginsenoside Re. However, it was found that administration of ginseng alone, without stress, did not significantly change the ascorbic acid and cholesterol contents in adrenal glands. Eosinophil counts in the blood of the rats were elevated when the rats were exposed to the heat stress, and the elevation of the eosinophil counts were prevented with the ginseng saponins under the stress, but the changes were all insignificant statistically.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.389-415
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• 1996

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer(Araliaceae) has been traditionally used as an expensive and precious medicine in oriental countries for more than 5, 000 years. Ginseng saponin isolated from the root of Panax ginseng have been regarded as the main effective components responsible for the pharmacological and biological activities. Such as antiaging effects. antidiabetic effects anticancer effects. Protection against physical and chemical stress. Analgesic and antipyretic effects. Effects on the central nervous system, tranquilizing action and others. Thirty kinds of ginsenosides have been so far isolated from ginseng saponin and their chemical structures have been elucidated since 1960's. Among which protopanaxadiol type is 19 kinds. protopanaxatriol type. 10 kinds and oleanane type, one. Since ginsenosides are generally labile under acidic conditions ordinary acid hydrolysis is always accompanied by many side reactions, such as epimerization. hydroxylation and cyclization of side chain of the sapogenins Especially. it is well known that C-20 glycosyl linkage of ginsenoside was hydrolysed on heating with acetic acid to give an equilibrated mixture of 20(S) and 20(R) epimers. And also, the chemical transformations of the secondary metabolites have appeared during the steaming process to prepare red ginseng. Indicating demalonylation of malonyl ginsenosides, elimination of glycosyl residue at C-20 and isomerization of hydroxyl configuration at C-20. But these studies have not provided a comprehensive picture in explaning how these ginsenosides showed val'iotas pharmacological activities of ginseng. Though some of them have been involved in the mechanism of pharmacological actions. Recently, non-saponin components have received a great deal of attention for their antioxidant, anticancer antidiabetic, immunomodulating. anticomplementary activities and so on. To meet the demand for such wide applications, studies on the non-saponin components play an important role in providing a good evidence of pharmacological and biol ogical activities. Among the non-saponin constituents of Korean ginseng, polyacetylenes, phenols. Sesquiterpenes, alkaloids. polysaccharides oligosaccharides, oligopeptides and aminoglycosides together with ginsenosides of terrestrial part are mainly described.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2014

Panax ginseng is one of the most important medicinal plants in Asia. Triterpene saponins, known as ginsenosides, are the major pharmacological compounds in P. ginseng. The present study was conducted to evaluate the changes in ginsenoside composition according to the foliation stage of P. ginseng cultured in a hydroponic system. Among the three tested growth stages (closed, intermediate, and opened), the highest amount of total ginsenoside in the main and fine roots was in the intermediate stage. In the leaves, the highest amount of total ginsenoside was in the opened stage. The total ginsenoside content of the ginseng leaf was markedly increased in the transition from the closed to intermediate stage, and increased more slowly from the intermediate to opened leaf stage, suggesting active biosynthesis of ginsenosides in the leaf. Conversely, the total ginsenoside content of the main and fine roots decreased from the intermediate to opened leaf stage. This suggests movement of ginsenosides during foliation from the root to the leaf, or vice versa. The difference in the composition of ginsenosides between the leaf and root in each stage of foliation suggests that the ginsenoside profile is affected by foliation stage, and this profile differs in each organ of the plant. These results suggest that protopanaxadiol- and protopanaxatriol(PPT)-type ginsenosides are produced according to growth stage to meet different needs in the growth and defense of ginseng. The higher content of PPT-type ginsenosides in leaves could be related to the positive correlation between light and PPT-type ginsenosides.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.366-374
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• 2016

Background: In this study, we screened and identified an endophyte JG09 having strong biocatalytic activity for ginsenosides from Platycodon grandiflorum, converted ginseng total saponins and ginsenoside monomers, determined the source of minor ginsenosides and the transformation pathways, and calculated the maximum production of minor ginsenosides for the conversion of ginsenoside Rb1 to assess the transformation activity of endophyte JG09. Methods: The transformation of ginseng total saponins and ginsenoside monomers Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg1 into minor ginsenosides F2, C-K and Rh1 using endophyte JG09 isolated by an organizational separation method and Esculin-R2A agar assay, as well as the identification of transformed products via TLC and HPLC, were evaluated. Endophyte JG09 was identified through DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Results: A total of 32 ${\beta}$-glucosidase-producing endophytes were screened out among the isolated 69 endophytes from P. grandiflorum. An endophyte bacteria JG09 identified as Luteibacter sp. effectively converted protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd into minor ginsenosides F2 and C-K, and converted protopanaxatriol-type ginsenoside Rg1 into minor ginsenoside Rh1. The transformation pathways of major ginsenosides by endophyte JG09 were as follows: $Rb1{\rightarrow}Rd{\rightarrow}F2{\rightarrow}C-K$; $Rb2{\rightarrow}C-O{\rightarrow}C-Y{\rightarrow}C-K$; $Rc{\rightarrow}C-Mc1{\rightarrow}C-Mc{\rightarrow}C-K$; $Rg1{\rightarrow}Rh1$. The maximum production rate of ginsenosides F2 and C-K reached 94.53% and 66.34%, respectively. Conclusion: This is the first report about conversion of major ginsenosides into minor ginsenosides by fermentation with P. grandiflorum endophytes. The results of the study indicate endophyte JG09 would be a potential microbial source for obtaining minor ginsenosides.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2016

Background: The roots of Panax ginseng contain noble tetracyclic triterpenoid saponins derived from dammarenediol-II. Dammarene-type ginsenosides are classified into the protopanaxadiol (PPD) and protopanaxatriol (PPT) groups based on their triterpene aglycone structures. Two cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes (CYP716A47 and CYP716A53v2) are critical for the production of PPD and PPT aglycones, respectively. CYP716A53v2 is a protopanaxadiol 6-hydroxylase that catalyzes PPT production from PPD in P. ginseng. Methods: We constructed transgenic P. ginseng lines overexpressing or silencing (via RNA interference) the CYP716A53v2 gene and analyzed changes in their ginsenoside profiles. Result: Overexpression of CYP716A53v2 led to increased accumulation of CYP716A53v2 mRNA in all transgenic roots compared to nontransgenic roots. Conversely, silencing of CYP716A53v2 mRNA in RNAi transgenic roots resulted in reduced CYP716A53v2 transcription. HPLC analysis revealed that transgenic roots overexpressing CYP716A53v2 contained higher levels of PPT-group ginsenosides ($Rg_1$, Re, and Rf) but lower levels of PPD-group ginsenosides (Rb1, Rc, $Rb_2$, and Rd). By contrast, RNAi transgenic roots contained lower levels of PPT-group compounds and higher levels of PPD-group compounds. Conclusion: The production of PPD- and PPT-group ginsenosides can be altered by changing the expression of CYP716A53v2 in transgenic P. ginseng. The biological activities of PPD-group ginsenosides are known to differ from those of the PPT group. Thus, increasing or decreasing the levels of PPT-group ginsenosides in transgenic P. ginseng may yield new medicinal uses for transgenic P. ginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.198-204
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• 2012

An light-emitting diode (LED)-based light source was used as a monochromatic light source to determine the responses of raw ginseng roots (Panax ginseng Meyer) to specific emission spectra with respect to the production of ginsenosides. The ginsenoside content in the ginseng roots changed in response to the LED light treatments at $25^{\circ}C$ relative to the levels in the control roots that were treated in the dark or at $4^{\circ}C$ for 7 d. Ginseng roots were exposed to LEDs with four different peak emission wavelengths, 380, 450, 470, and 660 nm, in closed compartments. Compared with the control $4^{\circ}C$-treated roots, roots that were treated with 450 and 470 nm light showed a significantly increased production of ginsenosides (p<0.05), with increases of 64.9% and 74.1%, respectively. The contents of the ginsenosides $Rb_2$, Rc, and $Rg_1$ were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the 450 and 470 nm-treated root samples. The ratio of protopanaxadiol ginsenosides ($Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, Rc, and Rd) to protopanaxatriol ginsenosides ($Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, Re, and Rf) was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the 450 and 470 nm-treated root samples than in the control $4^{\circ}C$-treated roots. This is the first report that demonstrates the increase and conversion of ginsenosides in raw ginseng roots in response to exposure to LED light.