Abstract
Garden-cultivated Ginseng (GG) and mountain-cultivated Ginseng (MG) both belong to Panax Ginseng C. A. Meyer. However, the effective substances which can be used to distinguish GG from MG remain obscure. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to screen for discriminating markers that can assist in the correct identification of GG and MG. HPLC Q-TOF/MS and various chemometrics methods were used to analyze the chemical profiles of 13 batches of Ginseng and to explore the characteristic constituents of both GG and MG. The hepatocyte-protecting effects of GG and MG were investigated through a paclitaxel-induced liver injury model. Through a combination of correlation analysis and bioinformatic techniques, markers for differentiation between GG and MG were ascertained. A total of 40 and 41 compounds were identified in GG and MG, respectively, and 15 characteristic ingredients contributed significantly to the discrimination of GG from MG. Correlation analysis and network pharmacology were applied and ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, and Rg3 were found to be discriminating markers of GG and MG. Six markers for the identification of GG and MG were screened out by a step-wise mutually oriented “chemical profiling–pharmaceutical effect” correlation strategy, which is of great significance for future quality assessment of Ginseng products.
Highlights
Ginsenosides Rb1, Rc, and Rb2 possess anti-inflammatory activities through the inhibition of both MAPK signaling pathways and the expression of TNF [37,38,39]. Our research identified these six ginsenoside compounds as pharmacodynamicbased markers to distinguish GG from mountain-cultivated Ginseng (MG)
We conducted a comparative study of the pharmacodynamics of GG and MG, which indicated that MG may exert superior therapeutic effects to GG
In order to explore the components responsible for this difference in efficacy, correlation analysis combined with network pharmacology technology was applied
Summary
A. Meyer (Ginseng), of genus Panax and family Araliaceae, has been used in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) for thousands of years throughout. Ginseng is rich in polysaccharides, ginsenosides, and volatile oils. Numerous pharmacological studies have demonstrated that Ginseng possesses various biological activities, including antitumor, anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and immunoregulatory properties, among others [3,4,5]. Due to its diverse pharmacodynamics, Ginseng has been utilized in varied health products and dietary nutrients to relieve fatigue, deodorize, and ameliorate the toxic side effects of chemotherapy [6,7]. Ginseng has been clinically recognized as a hepatic protectant for its significant hepatoprotective effects and ability to improve liver function, as revealed by multitudinous studies [8,9,10,11]
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