Ginseng products available in different forms and preparations are reported to have varied bioactivities and chemical compositions. In our previous study, four new dammarane-type ginsenosides were isolated from Panax ginseng, which are ginsenoside Rg18 (1), 6-acetyl ginsenoside Rg3 (2), ginsenoside Rs11 (3), and ginsenoside Re7 (4). Accordingly, the goal of this study was to determine the distribution and content of these newly characterized ginsenosides in different ginseng products. The content of compounds 1 – 4 in different ginseng products was determined via HPLC-UV. The samples included ginseng roots from different ginseng species, roots harvested from different localities in Korea, and samples harvested at different cultivation ages and processed under different manufacturing methods. The four ginsenosides were present at varying concentrations in the different ginseng samples examined. The variations in their content could be attributed to species variation, and differences in cultivation conditions and manufacturing methods. The total concentration of compounds 1 – 4 were highest in ginseng obtained from Geumsan (185 µg/g), white-6 yr ginseng (150 µg/g), and P. quinquefolius (186 µg/g). The results of this study provide a basis for the optimization of cultivation conditions and manufacturing methods to maximize the yield of the four new ginsenosides in ginseng.
Ginsenosides ; Korea ; Panax

Ginsenoside Compound K (CK) has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory pharmacological activities. It has not been isolated from natural ginseng and is mainly prepared by deglycosylation of protopanaxadiol. Compared with the traditional physicochemical preparation methods, the preparation of CK by hydrolysis with protopanaxadiol-type (PPD-type) ginsenoside hydrolases has the advantages of high specificity, environmental-friendliness, high efficiency and high stability. In this review, the PPD-type ginsenoside hydrolases were classified into three categories based on the differences in the glycosyl-linked carbon atoms of the hydrolase action. It was found that most of the hydrolases that could prepare CK were PPD-type ginsenoside hydrolase type Ⅲ. In addition, the applications of hydrolases in the preparation of CK were summarized and evaluated to facilitate large-scale preparation of CK and its development in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Ginsenosides/pharmacology* ; Hydrolases ; Sapogenins/chemistry*

The chemical constituents of Chinese red ginseng (Panax ginseng) were investigated. The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by silca gel, ODS, and Sephedex LH-20, column chromatography, and preparative HPLC. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectra data. Fourteen compounds were isolated and identified as: notoginsenoside R2 (1), 20(S) -ginsenoside Rg3 (2), 20(R) -ginsenoside Rg3 (3), 20 (S)-ginsenoside Rg2 (4), 20(R) -ginsenosideRg2 (5), 20 (S)-ginsenoside Rh1 (6), 20(R) -ginsenoside Rh1 (7), ginsenoside Rh4 (8), -Ro (9), -Rb1 (10), -Rg1 (11), Re-(12), Rf (13), maltol (14). Compounds 1, 4, 6, were obtained from red ginseng for the first time. Compounds 2 and 3, 4 and 5-7 were enantiomers respectively, enantiomers 6 and 7 were isolated as monomer for the first time.
Ginsenosides ; analysis ; chemistry ; Panax ; chemistry ; Stereoisomerism

The ecological environment is closely related to the growth and quality of authentic medicinal materials. Ginseng is very strict with its natural environment and grows mostly in the damp valleys of forests, and the appearance and chemical composition of ginseng under different growth environments are very different. This article reviews the effects of different ecological factors(including light, temperature, altitude, moisture, soil factors, etc.)on the appearance and chemical composition(mainly ginsenosides) of ginseng. Through systematic review, it is found that soil physical factors are the most important ecological factors that affect the appea-rance of ginseng, and soil bulk density plays a key role; temperature affects ginsenosides in ginseng medicinal materials The dominant ecological factors for the accumulation of chemical ingredents; strong light, high altitude, high soil moisture, low soil nutrient and strong acid soil can influence the accumulation of secondary metabolites in ginseng. Environmental stress can also stimulate the formation and accumulation of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. Appropriate low temperature stress, high or low water stress, acid or alkali stress can also promote the accumulation of ginsenosides. This article systematically reviews the ecological factors that affect the appearance and chemical composition of ginseng, and clarifies the dominant ecological factors and limiting factors for the formation of ginseng's appearance and quality, as well as beneficial environmental stress factors, in order to provide a theoretical basis for ginseng ecological planting and ginseng quality improvement.
Forests ; Ginsenosides ; Panax ; Plants, Medicinal ; Soil

Panax ginseng is a traditional Chinese medicine with significant pharmaceutical effects and wide application. Through orientational modification and transformation of ginsenoside glycosyl, rare ginsenosides with high antitumor activities can be generated. Traditional chemical methods cannot be applied in clinic. because of extremely complex preparation technologies and very high cost Transformations using microorganisms and their enzymatic systems provide the most feasible methods for solving the main problems. At present, the key problems in enzymatic synthesis of ginsenosides include low specific enzyme activities, identity of enzymes involved in the enzymatic synthesis, and their catalytic mechanisms, as well as nonsystematic studies on structural bioinformatics; specificity of enzymatic hydrolysis for saponin glycosyl has been rarely studied. Many reviews have been reported on glycosidase molecular recognition, immobilization, and biotransformation in ionic liquids (ILs), whereas ginsenoside transformation and application have not been systematically studied. To evaluate theoretical and applied studies on ginsenoside-oriented biotransformation, by reviewing the latest developments in related fields and evaluating the widely applied biocatalytic strategy, this review aims to evaluate the ginsenoside-oriented transformation method with improved product specificity, increased biocatalytic efficiency, and industrial application prospect based on the designed transformations of enzyme and solvent engineering of ILs. Therefore, useful theoretical and experimental evidence can be obtained for the development of ginsenoside anticancer drugs, large-scale preparation, and clinical applications in cancer therapy.
Biocatalysis ; Ginsenosides ; Glycoside Hydrolases ; Panax ; Saponins

In this study, the infection of root arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, AMF of Panax quinquefolium in Shandong province was investigated, and the distribution characteristics and infection regularity of AMF were found out. The AMF of P. quinquefolium roots in different habitats was examined by alkali dissociation-trypickin blue staining method to study the infection rate and infection intensity. The contents of ginsenoside(Rb_1, Re, Rg_1, Rb_2, Rd and Rh_1) in the roots of P. quinquefolium was determined by HPLC. The experimental data were SPSS 17.0 statistical software for One-way analysis of variance, cluster analysis and correlation analysis. The results showed that the AMF infection in roots of P. quinquefolium, and there were obvious structures such as hyphae, arbuscular branches and vesicles, and the AMF infection rate and infection intensity showed obvious spatial and temporal heterogeneity with the growth age and origin of P. quinquefolium. The infection rate of AMF in roots of P. quinquefolium from 1 to 3 years increased significantly with the increase of growth years(P<0.05). The infection intensity and infection rate of P. quinquefolium showed a similar change trend, the AMF infection rate and infection intensity reached the highest level in the third year. Cluster analysis showed that the infection rates of roots of P. quinquefolium in similar geographical locations could be clustered together. Correlation analysis showed that the AMF infection rate of P. quinquefolium root was significantly positively correlated with the infection intensity, and the AMF infection rate and infection intensity were significantly positively correlated with the contents of ginsenoside Rg_1, Re and Rb_1. This study explored the distribution characteristics and regularity of AMF in roots of P. quinquefolium under the protected cultivation conditions, and provided basic data for ecological cultivation of P. quinquefolium and research and development of biological bacterial fertilizer.
Fertilizers ; Fungi ; Ginsenosides ; Mycorrhizae ; Panax ; Plant Roots

Panax quinquefolium is one of the most common medicinal plants worldwide. Ginsenosides are the major pharmaceutical components in P. quinquefolium. The biosynthesis of ginsenosides in different tissues of P. quinquefolium remained largely unknown. In the current study, an integrative method of transcriptome and metabolome analysis was used to elucidate the ginsenosides biosynthesis pathways in different tissues of P. quinquefolium. Herein, 22 ginsenosides in roots, leaves, and flower buds showed uneven distribution patterns. A comprehensive P. quinquefolium transcriptome was generated through single molecular real-time (SMRT) and second-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, which revealed the ginsenoside pathway genes and UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGT) family genes explicitly expressed in roots, leaves, and flower buds. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of ginsenoside biosynthesis genes, UGT genes and ginsenoside contents indicated that three UGT genes were positively correlated to pseudoginsenoside F11, notoginsenoside R1, notoginsenoside R2 and pseudoginsenoside RT5. These results provide insights into ginsenoside biosynthesis in different tissues ofP. quinquefolium.
Ginsenosides ; Panax ; Plant Roots ; Plants, Medicinal ; Transcriptome

OBJECTIVETo determine the total content of 10 ginsenosides in Yiqifumai lyophilized injection by near infrared spectroscopy.

METHODSixty samples were collected and determined of the total contents of ten ginsenosides by HPLC. The optimal calibration model was established by the contents of 10 ginsenosides in fifty samples and their NIR spectroscopy using the PLS. And the contents of 10 samples were successfully predicted.

RESULTWhen using the pretreatment of the first derivative and MSC in the range of 4 246.8 - 4 602.2, 5 446.8 - 61 02.6 cm(-1), the best dimension was 9, and the quantitative model was accurate. The R2 was 94.2, and the RMSECV was 0.186. The RMSEP of ten samples was 0.234.

CONCLUSIONThis method is easy, rapaid and precise, and can be used to determine the content of 10 ginsenosides in Yiqifumai lyophilized injection.

Cell Differentiation ; Cell Polarity ; Ginsenosides ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leukemia

Ginsenoside Rg_3 is widely used in clinical practice as an anti-tumor adjuvant drug, but its application is limited due to its poor oral absorption. In this study, we intended to construct a ginsenoside Rg_3 nanostructured lipid carrier modified by the pullulan(PUL-Rg_3-NLC) to improve the adhesion properties of ginsenoside Rg_3, promote the drug uptake and improve the anti-tumor efficacy. PUL-Rg_3-NLC was characterized by morphology, particle size and Zeta potential. In vivo adhesion characteristics were evaluated by oral gavage tests, and the results were verified from multiple perspectives in combination with in vitro uptake behavior and in vitro pharmacodynamics. The results showed that PUL-Rg_3-NLC, with a particle size of(102±1.89) nm, was characterized by gastric adhesion and could be retained in gastric tissues for a long time, and its uptake by BGC-823 cells was promoted mainly through the pathway mediated by the caveolin-mediated endocytosis. In vitro MTT, cell apoptosis, wound-healing assay and invasion assay all showed some anti-tumor effects. Therefore, PUL-Rg_3-NLC can significantly promote the adhesion of Rg_3 in the stomach, promote the uptake of drugs by gastric cancer cells, and improve the anti-tumor effect. This study can provide some reference for the adjuvant treatment of gastric cancer.
Drug Carriers ; Ginsenosides ; Glucans ; Lipids ; Nanostructures ; Particle Size