Abstract
Ginseng is a traditional medicinal herb commonly consumed world-wide owing to its unique family of saponins called ginsenosides. The absorption and bioavailability of ginsenosides mainly depend on an individual’s gastrointestinal bioconversion abilities. There is a need to improve ginseng processing to predictably increase the pharmacologically active of ginsenosides. Various types of ginseng, such as fresh, white, steamed, acid-processed, and fermented ginsengs, are available. The various ginseng processing methods produce a range ginsenoside compositions with diverse pharmacological properties. This review is intended to summarize the properties of the ginsenosides found in different Panax species as well as the different processing methods. The sugar moiety attached to the C–3, C–6, or C–20 deglycosylated to produce minor ginsenosides, such as Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd→Rg3, F2, Rh2; Re, Rf→Rg1, Rg2, F1, Rh1. The malonyl-Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd were demalonylated into ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd by dehydration. Dehydration also produces minor ginsenosides such as Rg3→Rk1, Rg5, Rz1; Rh2→Rk2, Rh3; Rh1→Rh4, Rk3; Rg2→Rg6, F4; Rs3→Rs4, Rs5; Rf→Rg9, Rg10. Acetylation of several ginsenosides may generate acetylated ginsenosides Rg5, Rk1, Rh4, Rk3, Rs4, Rs5, Rs6, and Rs7. Acid processing methods produces Rh1→Rk3, Rh4; Rh2→Rk1, Rg5; Rg3→Rk2, Rh3; Re, Rf, Rg2→F1, Rh1, Rf2, Rf3, Rg6, F4, Rg9. Alkaline produces Rh16, Rh3, Rh1, F4, Rk1, ginsenoslaloside-I, 20(S)-ginsenoside-Rh1-60-acetate, 20(R)-ginsenoside Rh19, zingibroside-R1 through hydrolysis, hydration addition reactions, and dehydration. Moreover, biological processing of ginseng generates the minor ginsenosides of Rg3, F2, Rh2, CK, Rh1, Mc, compound O, compound Y through hydrolysis reactions, and synthetic ginsenosides Rd12 and Ia are produced through glycosylation. This review with respect to the properties of particular ginsenosides could serve to increase the utilization of ginseng in agricultural products, food, dietary supplements, health supplements, and medicines, and may also spur future development of novel highly functional ginseng products through a combination of various processing methods.
Highlights
Herbal products are widely used in medicine, food production, and other fields due to their
Other Panax species commonly used in herbal medicine are P. japonicus (Japanese ginseng), P. notoginseng (Chinese ginseng), P. vietnamensis (Vietnamese ginseng), P. omeiensis (Omei ginseng), P. pseudoginseng (Himalayan ginseng), P. zingiberensis, P. stipuleanatus (Pingpien ginseng), P. trifolius, P. wangianus, P. bipinnatifidus, P. variabilis, P. sokpayensis, P. assamicus, P. shangianus, and P. sinensis [10,11]
The diverse ginsenoside profiles in physically processed ginseng products indicate that several transformation pathways are involved in altering the saponin composition (Figure 3)
Summary
In addition to the well-known active proteins, Herbal products are widely used in medicine, food production, and other fields due to their polysaccharides, polyphenols, and flavonoids, saponins are very important active substances in various active compounds and beneficial effects. Belong to configurations a large group ofofcompounds arranged in four-(Dammarane) five-ringwith (Oleanane) configurations of 30 carbons are Ginsenosides are triterpenoid or saponins a four-ring skeleton structure and[5]. AreGinsenosides unique to ginseng triterpenoid saponins with a four-ring skeleton structure and are unique to ginseng species belonging species belonging to the genus Panax. Other Panax species commonly used in herbal medicine are P. japonicus (Japanese ginseng), P. notoginseng cultivated in North America for medicinal purposes since the eighteenth century. There have been few reviews addressing the diversity of ginsenosides found in various ginsengs subjected to different processing methods. This review summarizes the distribution of ginsenosides in different ginseng species and processed products, and aims to improve the utilization of ginseng and particular ginsenosides in agricultural products, food, dietary supplements, health supplements, and medicines
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