The Change of Ginsenoside Composition in Ginseng Berry Extract by the Ultrasonication Process

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop a new preparation process of ginseng berry extracts having high concentrations of ginsenoside Rh1, Rg2, Rg5, F4, a special component of red and black ginseng. Chemical transformation from ginseng saponin glycosides to prosapogenin was analyzed by the HPLC. Extracts of ginseng (Panax ginseng) berry was processed under several treatment conditions including ultrasonication treatments. The content of total saponin reached their heights at 6 hr (UGB-6, 61.760%) of ultrasonication treatment, followed by 10 hr (UGB-10, 53.009%) and 9 hr (UGB-9, 50.652%) of ultrasonication treatment at 100oC. Results of those treatments showed that the quantity of ginsenoside Rh1 increased by over 15% at 10 hr of ultrasonication treatment at 100oC. The results of processing with UGB-10 indicate that the ultrasonication processed ginseng berry extracts that had gone through 10 hr treatments were found to contain the largest amount of ginsenoside Rh1 (15.358%), Rg2 (6.301%), Re (4.567%) and F4 (2.658%). In addition, UGB-6 contained ginsenoside Rg3 (13.632%) at high concentrations. It is thought that such results provide basic information in preparing ginseng berry extracts with functionality enhanced.