Korean red ginseng extracts alleviate skin damage in heat-stimulated skin cells by suppressing NF-κB activation

This study was designed to develop a manufacturing process for ginseng concentrate with reduced unpleasant aroma and bitter taste. Two types of ginseng, white and red, were extracted under six different conditions (the 1st to the 6th step) of temperature (65~95℃) and ethanol concentration (0~70%). Six extracts of each ginseng were evaluated by a sensory test, and assayed for crude saponin, ginsenosides, and acidic polysaccharides. The content of crude saponin in the extracts decreased with extraction time. There was no significant difference in the crude saponin content between white and red ginseng extracts. The yield of red ginseng extract was higher (45%) than that of white ginseng. No significant difference was observed in the acidic polysaccharide content between red and white ginseng extracts. Rg3, a specific ginsenoside in red ginseng, was detected in the 1st to 6th extracts of red ginseng. Bitterness, astringency, and sourness of ginseng extracts decreased as the extraction steps proceeded. The composite of the 1st, 2nd, and 6th step extracts decreased bitterness and astringency, and the highest overall acceptance. Compared with commercial beverages, the composition of the three extracts is the desirable method to decrease the bitter and astringent tastes, and the overall unpleasant flavor of ginseng.

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has been traditionally used as a medicinal plant and has beneficial effects due to pharmacological properties. Although ginseng is thought to be protective under abnormal conditions, the effects of pretreatment with red ginseng (RG) extract on ischemic stroke have not been fully elucidated. We investigated the protective effects of RG extract after focal cerebral ischemia in mice. Crude RG extract (360 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally for 2 weeks. Mice were then subjected to occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 1 hour, followed by reperfusion for 4 and 24 hours. Pretreatment with RG extract followed by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) resulted in significant reduction of oxidized hydroethidine signals in ischemic areas. At 4 and 24 hours after I/R, the number of 8-hydroxyguanosine and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1)-positive cells decreased in the ischemic penumbra as seen using immunofluorescent staining. Western blotting showed that RG efficiently attenuated the protein levels of activated ASK1 in the ischemic penumbra. Consequently, DNA fragmentation and the infarct volume were reduced by RG extract pretreatment 24 hours after I/R. Also, RG extract resulted in better performance in rotarod test after I/R. Thus, RG pretreatment demonstrates a protective effect at suppressing ischemia-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in ischemic lesions. Pretreatment with crude RG extract may be an effective strategy for preventing brain injury after an ischemic stroke.

홍삼 추출물(5종)과 흑삼 추출물(2종)과 중국산 인삼 추출물(9종)의 말톨 정성, 지방산 조성비, 페놀성 화합물 함량을 분석하고, 이를 패턴 분석하여 특징적 요인을 정하고, 이를 통해 추출물의 정성 분석에 대한 가능성을 측정하였다. TLC를 이용한 maltol의 분석에서 백삼 추출물은 모두 불검출, 홍삼 흑삼 추출물은 모두 검출되어 말톨의 검출 여부는 정성 분석을 위한 특징적 요인으로 볼 수 있었다. 지방산 조성의 경우 palmitic과 linoleic acid가 인삼 추출물의 주요 지방산이었고, palmitic은 백삼, linoleic 은 홍삼 추출물이 높게 나타났다. 이 두 지방산의 조성을 비교한 비율Pal/Lin)의 경우 백삼 추출물에서 56.7~64.3%, 홍삼 추출물에서 32.0~38.5%로 두 값의 차이가 크게 나타나, 이 수치 역시 분석을 위한 특징적 요인으로 볼 수 있었다. 페놀성 화합물의 경우 추출물 속에서 maltol, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid와 cinnamic acid의 존재를 확인 할 수 있었다. 백삼 추출물은 페놀성 화합물이 비슷한 비율로 존재하는 패턴을 보였지만, 홍삼 추출물은 말톨의 함량비가 크게 높았다. 페놀성 화합물 중 maltol과 cinnamic acid의 비율을 측정한 결과, 백삼 추출물에서는 5이하의 수치가 나온데 비해 홍삼 흑삼 추출물에서는 53~289의 수치를 보여 이 역시 정성 분석을 위한 특징적 요인으로 판단되었다. 실험 결과에 의해 선정된 Pal/Lin 비율과 maltol/cinnamic acid 비율과 같은 특징적 요인을 통해 인삼 추출물에 대한 정성 분석의 가능성을 확인할 수 있었다. This study analyzed the maltol quality, composition ratio of fatty acids, and contents of phenolic compounds in white ginseng extracts(four types), red ginseng extracts(five types), black ginseng extracts(two types), and Chinese ginseng extracts(nine types). By examining patterns in these measurements, we determined the characteristic factors of the extracts and measured the possibility of qualitative analysis. In the analysis of maltol using TLC, white ginseng extracts were not detected while red and black ginseng extracts were detected, so the possibility of detection was considered as a characteristic factor for qualitative analysis. Regarding the composition of fatty acids, palmitic and linoleic acids were the main fatty acids in the ginseng extracts palmitic acid was high in white ginseng extracts while linoleic was low in red ginseng extracts. Regarding the ratio(Pal/Lin) of the two fatty acids, there was a large difference between white ginseng extracts(56.7~64.3%) and red ginseng extracts(32.0~38.5%), and these figures seemed to be characteristic factors for the analysis. For the phenolic compounds, extracts contained maltol, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and cinnamic acid. White ginseng extracts contained similar percentages of phenolic compounds while red ginseng extracts had high maltol content. According to the measurement results of the percentages of maltol and cinnamic acid, white ginseng extracts showed values below five, whereas red and black ginseng extracts showed 53~289, which was also a characteristic factor for qualitative analysis. Consequently, we found that we can differentiate between ginseng extracts using characteristic factors that we analyzed in an experiment on white ginseng extracts from China.

Intake of Korean Red Ginseng Extract and Saponin Enhances the Protection Conferred by Vaccination with Inactivated Influenza A Virus

Comparative study of korean white, red, and black ginseng extract on cholinesterase inhibitory activity and cholinergic function.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of red ginseng (Panax ginseng) extracts on the visual process in bullfrog's eye. The results obtained indicated that both dark-adapted and light-adapted ERG b-wave peak amplitude was increased with red ginseng treatment. Furthermore, the ERG sensitivity was elevated by 1.4 log units of light intensity. It was found that red ginseng acts as a retinal neural antagonist but not as a GABA receptor antagonist. Red ginseng improved the alcohol dehydrogenase activity and speeded up the delivery of 11 CIS-retinal from retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to the outer disc of the photoreceptors which resulted in decreased regeneration time of rhodopsin. In the spectral scan, red ginseng treatment brings an increment in absorbance over the whole spectral range (300-800 nm) with maximum difference at around 500 nm. It is concluded that red ginseng may be used to improve visual process, and can potentially be used to treat certain ophthalmic diseases.

Administration of red ginseng ameliorates memory decline in aged mice

Effect of red ginseng NaturalGEL on skin aging

Acetaminophen 유도 간독성에 대한 백삼과 홍삼 추출물의 간보호 효과

Red ginseng (RG), which is obtained from heated Panax ginseng and is produced by steaming followed by drying, is a valuable herb in Asian countries. Steamed ginseng dew (SGD) is a by-product produced in processing red ginseng. In the present study, phytochemical profiling of extracts of red ginseng and steamed ginseng dew was carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and rapid resolution liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RRLC-Q-TOF-MS) analysis. Additionally, antioxidant activities (DPPH, ·OH, and ABTS scavenging ability) and whitening activities (tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activity) were analyzed. Phytochemical profiling revealed the presence of 66 and 28 compounds that were non-saponin components in chloroform extracts of red ginseng and steamed ginseng dew (RG-CE and SGD-CE), respectively. Meanwhile, there were 20 ginsenosides identified in n-butanol extracts of red ginseng and steamed ginseng dew (RG-NBE and SGD-NBE). By comparing the different polar extracts of red ginseng and steamed ginseng dew, it was found that the ethyl acetate extract of red ginseng (RG-EAE) had the best antioxidant capacity and whitening effect, the water extract of steamed ginseng dew (SGD-WE) had stronger antioxidant capacity, and the SGD-NBE and SGD-CE had a better whitening effect. This study shows that RG and SGD have tremendous potential to be used in the cosmetic industries.

Phytochemical Characteristics of Coffee Bean Treated by Coating of Ginseng Extract

The effects of combined administration of red ginseng (RG) extracts and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on immunostimulatory activity and tumor metastasis inhibition were investigated in mice. For the immunostimulatory activity, splenocyte proliferation, natural killer (NK) cell activity, including the production of granzyme B (GrB) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and serum level of cytokine such as IFN-γ, interleukin (IL)-17, and IL-21 were assessed. Peyer's patch cells obtained from mice administered with RG+GABA were cultured, and the cytokine level in the culture supernatant and bone marrow (BM) cell proliferation activity were examined. The proliferative activity of splenocytes was significantly higher in the RG-GABA treatment group than in RG or GABA alone (P < .05). In the experimental tumor metastasis model, oral administration of RG+GABA showed a higher antitumor metastatic effect compared to that of RG or GABA alone. Oral administration of RG+GABA significantly augmented NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity against YAC-1 tumor cells. In addition, the production of GrB and IFN-γ was stimulated in the culture supernatant of NK cells and YAC-1 cells. Serum concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-17, and IL-21 in mice with RG+GABA were significantly higher compared to the corresponding blood levels in mice administered with RG or GABA alone. The RG+GABA group showed significant BM cell proliferation and increased production of IL-6 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor compared to that in the monotherapy groups. Therefore, RG may have a synergistic effect with GABA for enhancing the host defense system such as BM proliferation and NK cell activity in a tumor metastasis model.

We extracted red ginseng with various alcohol concentrations and evaluated total carbohydrate, uronic acid, polyphenols compounds and ginsenoside contents, and yields of alcohol extract. The water extraction (0% alcohol extraction) showed a high level of total carbohydrate content. 10% and 20% alcohol extraction showed the highest uronic acid contents (7,978.8 and 7,872.7 ㎍/mL of extract, respectively). The efficiency order of the red ginseng extract (RGE) preparations in liberating polyphenols was: 0～50% alcohol≥ 60% alcohol ＞ 70～90% alcohol. Solid contents in RGE were decreased with increased alcohol concentration; the same tendency as with the results of total carbohydrate content. Total ginsenoside contents in 20～50% alcohol extracts showed similar levels (42,962.9～47,930.8 ㎍/mL of extract). Water extraction showed the lowest ginsenoside content (14,509.4 ㎍/mL of extract). The ginsenoside contents at above 60% alcohol were decreased with increased alcohol concentration. Generally, ginsenoside (Rg2, Rg1, Rf, Re, Rd, Rb2, Rc and Rb1) contents were increased with increased alcohol concentrations. However, Rg3 content was decreased with increases in alcohol concentration.

Effects of red ginseng extract on UVB irradiation-induced skin aging in hairless mice

Compound K (CK; 20-O-β-(d-glucopyranosyl)-20(S)-protopanaxadiol) is one of the metabolites of ginsenosides contained in red ginseng (RG) and is known to have high bioavailability. This study aimed to establish the optimal conditions for enzyme treatment to convert ginsenosides from RG extract to CK, and to prove the characteristics of bioconverted red ginseng (BRG) extract. CK was not detected in unenzyme-treated RG extract, and in the single-step enzyme treatment, it was produced at less than 4.58 mg/g only in treatment group with Pyr-flo or Sumizyme AC (at 50 °C for 48 h). The highest yield of CK (14.32 mg/g) was obtained by Ultimase MFC treatment at 50 °C for 48 h after treatment with a mixture of Pyr-flo and Rapidase at 50 °C for 24 h. Total polyphenol, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and 2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity were higher in BRG than in RG (p < 0.5). High-fat diet (HD) rat fed 1% BRG had significantly lower body weight, heart weight, fat pads (periosteal fat, epididymal fat), serum glucose levels, and hepatic triglyceride levels than those HD rat fed 1% RG (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the sequential enzymatic bioconversion was produces higher CK in RG root extract than single-step enzyme treatment.