Ginsenosides Conversion and Anti-Oxidant Activities in Puffed Cultured Roots of Mountain Ginseng

Jian Yu Pu,Xu Hui Zeng,Yue Huo,Zelika Mega Ramadhania,Jin Feng Li,Dong Wook Lee,Ramya Mathiyalagan,Feng Jiao Xu,Gi-Young Kwak,Deok Chun Yang,Se Chan Kang,Jong Chan Ahn,Yaxi Han

doi:10.3390/pr9122271

Abstract

CRMG (Cultured Roots of Mountain Ginseng) have the advantages in scale-up production, safety, and pharmacological efficacies. Though several methods are available for the conversion of major to minor ginsenosides, which has more pharmacological activities, a single step process with high temperature and pressure as a puffing method took place in this study to gain and produce more pharmacologically active compounds. Puffed CRMG exhibited an acceleration of major ginsenosides to minor ginsenosides conversions, and released more phenolic and flavonoid compounds. HPLC analysis was used to detect a steep decrease in the contents of major ginsenosides (Re, Rf, Rg1, Rg2, Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc and Rd) with increasing pressure; on the contrary, the minor ginsenosides (20 (S, R)-Rg3, Rg5, Rk1, Rh1, Rh2, Rg6, F4 and Rk3) contents increased. Minor ginsenosides, such as Rg6, F4 and Rk3, were firstly reported to be produced from puffed CRMG. After the puffing process, phenolics, flavonoids, and minor ginsenoside contents were increased, and also, the antioxidant properties, such as DPPH inhibition and reducing the power of puffed CRMG, were significantly enhanced. Puffed CRMG at 490.3 kPa and 588.4 kPa had a low toxicity on HaCaT (immortalized human epidermal keratinocyte) cells at 200 μg/mL, and could significantly reduce ROS by an average of 60%, compared to the group treated with H2O2. Therefore, single step puffing of CRMG has the potential to be utilized for functional food and cosmeceuticals.

Highlights

The root of Panax ginseng Meyer has been used as a medicinal herb over thousands of years [1]
The puffed cultured roots of mountain ginseng (CRMG) tinct became dark as the surface became frayed and coarse, but the roots became enlarged in volume with increased pressure
We have demonstrated, for the first time, that the pressuring technique could have an effect to transform some compounds of the sample, which would result in low cytotoxicity in normal cells

Summary

Introduction

The root of Panax ginseng Meyer has been used as a medicinal herb over thousands of years [1]. The technology of cultured roots of mountain ginseng (CRMG) has some advantages in growth acceleration, safety, and pharmacological activities [4,5,6]. The ginsenosides are the triterpenoid saponins which present in the ginseng, classified into five different types, such as protopanaxadiol (PPD), protopanaxatriol (PPT), ocotillol type (OT), oleanolic acid (OA), C17 side-chain varied (C17SCV), and miscellaneous [5,7]. More than 170 ginsenosides have been identified from P. ginseng, and 289 saponins have been identified from various Panax species [8]. These different types play a major role in the identification of different panax species, such as the ginsenosides Rf (PPT type) and Rs1 (PPD type) in P. ginseng (Korean ginseng). PPD exhibited excellent anticancer potentials [10] and PPT were reported to be helpful for skin treatments [11]

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Conclusion