• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.31 no.7
• /
• pp.933-941
• /
• 2021

Ginsenoside Rg4 is a rare ginsenoside that is naturally found in ginseng, and exhibits a wide range of biological activities including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in several cell types. The purpose of this study was to use an in vivo model of hair follicle (HF)-mimic based on a human dermal papilla (DP) spheroid system prepared by three-dimensional (3D) culture and to investigate the effect of Rg4 on the hair-inductive properties of DP cells. Treatment of the DP spheroids with Rg4 (20 to 50 ㎍/ml) significantly increased the viability and size of the DP spheres in a dose-dependent manner. Rg4 also increased the mRNA and protein expression of DP signature genes that are related to hair growth including ALP, BMP2, and VCAN in the DP spheres. Analysis of the signaling molecules and luciferase reporter assays further revealed that Rg4 induces the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT and the inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK3β, which activates the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. These results correlated with not only the increased nuclear translocation of β-catenin following the treatment of the DP spheres with Rg4 but also the significant elevation of mRNA expression of the downstream target genes of the WNT/β-catenin pathway including WNT5A, β-catenin, and LEF1. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg4 promotes the hair-inductive properties of DP cells by activating the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway in DP spheres, suggesting that Rg4 could be a potential natural therapy for hair growth.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.172-177
• /
• 1984

Saponins in leaf and stem of Gynostemma pentaphyllum that was collected from Jeju Island were extracted by the method for ginseng saponin. Comparison by overlapping chromatogram(HPLC) of pentaphyllum on that of ginseng and cochromatogram and ginseng although ginsenoside Rg2, Rg1 and Rf might be in common with rare possibility. It seems to be little difference in the kind of saponin glycosides between leaf and stem of pentaphyllum. Saponin content in leaf of pentaphyllum was higher than in stem, and much higher than those in ginseng. The kind of saponin glycoside in pentaphyllum appeared to be less than 22 and greater than those in ginseng. There was almost no change in saponins of pentaphyllum in methanol for 3 years at room temperature.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.330-335
• /
• 1987

This study was carried out to know the effect of seed position on the size, contents of ginsenosides, free sugars, and fatty acids in ginseng seeds. Seed positions were classified by the three portions as center, middle and border in a seed cluster. Seed weight at center was light remarkably in comparison with those of seeds of at border and middle. The weight of embryo plus endosperm was in same tendency as seed weight. Percentage of single-seeded berry was smaller than that of the double-seeded, and the triple-seeded was rare. The percentage of the single-seeded increased from the border to the center. Size of the single -seeded seed was smaller than that of the double- seeded. Rate of dehiscence did not differ among different seed positions. The major ginsenosides in seed were Re, Rb$_1$, and Rb$_2$. The contents of Rb$_2$ and total saponin were highest in border, least in center, but reversed in Re and Rd. Major free sugars in seed were sucrose and glucose. The sucrose content was gradually decreased according to the seed position from border to center. Major fatty acids in the seed were oleic and linoleic acid. Contents of palmitic and linolenic acid were different according to the seed position.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.379-385
• /
• 2017

In this study, white ginseng was used as the raw material, which was fermented with Paecilomyces hepiali through solid culture medium, to produce ginsenosides with modified chemical composition. The characteristic chemical markers of the products thus produced were investigated using rapid resolution liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RRLC-QTOF-MS). Chemical profiling data were obtained, which were then subjected to multivariate statistical analysis for the systematic comparison of active ingredients in white ginseng and fermented ginseng to understand the beneficial properties of ginsenoside metabolites. In addition, the effects of these components on biological activity were investigated to understand the improvements in the phagocytic function of macrophages in zebrafish. According to the established RRLC-QTOF-MS chemical profiling, the contents in ginsenosides of high molecular weight, especially malonylated protopanaxadiol ginsenosides, were slightly reduced due to the fermentation, which were hydrolyzed into rare and minor ginsenosides. Moreover, the facilitation of macrophage phagocytic function in zebrafish following treatment with different ginseng extracts confirmed that the fermented ginseng is superior to white ginseng. Our results prove that there is a profound change in chemical constituents of ginsenosides during the fermentation process, which has a significant effect on the biological activity of these compounds.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.131-142
• /
• 2023

Background: This study has mainly focused on finding pharmacological effects of ginsenosides that can reduce the unwanted side effects of the cytotoxic anticancer drugs and are highly effective on prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, hormone-dependent breast cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, and brain cancer (neuroblastoma). Methods: Minor and rare ginsenosides (GS) of Rh2 which have a high absorption ability and excellent pharmacological actions were treated with the 6 different types of cancer cell lines and their anticancer activities were investigated by analyzing gene expressions associated with various cancers through qPCR and other relevant methods. Results: In cancer cells exposed to Rh2, cell viability and cell migration were reduced, and apoptosis was induced. Each cancer cell was divided into three groups according to the cell proliferation response by Rh2; 1) A group in which the cell viability decreases inversely to an increase in Rh2 treatment concentration; 2) A group in which the cell viability rapidly decreases in Rh2 treatment above a certain level of concentration; 3) A group in which the cell viability was not suppressed below 20-30% even with 100 μL of Rh2, the highest concentration used in this study. Conclusions: It was shown that Rh2 has a significant effect on inhibiting the proliferation of prostate cancer cells and hormone-dependent breast cancer cells.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.116-124
• /
• 2019

Background: Ginsenosides are known as the principal pharmacological active constituents in Panax medicinal plants such as Asian ginseng, American ginseng, and Notoginseng. Some ginsenosides, especially the 20(R) isomers, are found in trace amounts in natural sources and are difficult to chemically synthesize. The present study provides an approach to produce such trace ginsenosides applying biotransformation through Escherichia coli modified with relevant genes. Methods: Seven uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase (UGT) genes originating from Panax notoginseng, Medicago sativa, and Bacillus subtilis were synthesized or cloned and constructed into pETM6, an ePathBrick vector, which were then introduced into E. coli BL21star (DE3) separately. 20(R)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD), 20(R)-protopanaxatriol (PPT), and 20(R)-type ginsenosides were used as substrates for biotransformation with recombinant E. coli modified with those UGT genes. Results: E. coli engineered with $GT95^{syn}$ selectively transfers a glucose moiety to the C20 hydroxyl of 20(R)-PPD and 20(R)-PPT to produce 20(R)-CK and 20(R)-F1, respectively. GTK1- and GTC1-modified E. coli glycosylated the C3-OH of 20(R)-PPD to form 20(R)-Rh2. Moreover, E. coli containing $p2GT95^{syn}K1$, a recreated two-step glycosylation pathway via the ePathBrich, implemented the successive glycosylation at C20-OH and C3-OH of 20(R)-PPD and yielded 20(R)-F2 in the biotransformation broth. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that rare 20(R)-ginsenosides can be produced through E. coli engineered with UTG genes.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.67-72
• /
• 2005

Antioxidative activity of crude saponin fraction (CSF) prepared from Basidiomycota cultured with fresh ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) as substrate was investigated by analyzing CSFs for ginsenoside and phenolic compounds. On TLC chromatogram, ginsenosides such as $Rg_{2},\;Rg_{3}$, and $Rh_{1}$ which were rare in fresh ginseng, were identified. CSF of Phellinus linteus culture product showed the highest total phenolic content and electron donating ability (EDA), suggesting phenolic compounds contribute to EDA. In vitro lipid peroxidation was inhibited most by CSF of Ganoderma lucidum, indicating that the highest EDA does not imply highest inhibition against lipid peroxidation. Tyrosinase was also inhibited mostly by CSF of G. lucidum. These results suggest culture of Basidiomycota with fresh ginseng has more active substances than fresh ginseng alone.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.291-299
• /
• 2020

Background: Ginseng (G) and Ligustrum lucidum Ait (LLA) are core traditional Chinese medicines in treating myelosuppression formula. The present study was designed to profile effect of G and LLA herb pair (G-LLA) on myelosuppressed mice. Methods: The mice myelosuppression model was established by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of cyclophosphamide (Cy). Hematopoietic function of bone marrow was measured by hemopoietic progenitor cell culture and peripheral blood count, and serum hemopoietic factors were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Bone marrow cell cycle was performed by flow cytometry. HPLC was used to measure 20 potential chemical components related to myelosuppression, including ginsenoside Rg₁, Re, Rb₁, Rc, Rb₂, Rb₃, Rd, Rk₃, Rh₄, 20 (S)-Rg₃, 20 (R)-Rg₃, Rk₁, Rg₅, salidroside, and so on. Results: G, LLA, and G-LLA improved the amount of peripheral blood cells and bone marrow cells of myelosuppressed mice (P < 0.01). They significantly increased the colony quantity of colony-forming unit-granulocyte macrophage, burst-forming unit-erythroid, colony-forming unit-erythroid, and colony-forming unit-megakaryocyte and amount of G₂/M and S phase cells (P < 0.01). They also significantly decreased the amount of hematopoiesis-related cytokines (P < 0.01). The content of chemical components in G-LLA changed, and the change of rare saponin was the most obvious. Conclusion: These results show that G-LLA herb pair might produce synergistic or complementary compatibility effects on bone marrow suppression after chemotherapy. It suggests that the substance basis of G-LLA for treating bone marrow suppression may be effective chemical components.