Ginsenoside F2 Research Articles

Ginsenoside F2 Restrains Hepatic Steatosis and Inflammation by Altering the Binding Affinity of Liver X Receptor Coregulators

BackgroundGinsenoside F2 (GF2), the protopanaxadiol-type constituent in Panax ginseng, has been reported to attenuate metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, the mechanism of action is not fully understood. Here, this study investigates the molecular mechanism by which GF2 regulates MASLD progression through liver X receptor (LXR). MethodsTo demonstrate the effect of GF2 on LXR activity, computational modeling of protein-ligand binding, Time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) assay for LXR cofactor recruitment, and luciferase reporter assay were performed. LXR agonist T0901317 was used for LXR activation in hepatocytes and macrophages. MASLD was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding with or without GF2 administration in WT and LXRα−/− mice. ResultsComputational modeling showed that GF2 had a high affinity with LXRα. LXRE-luciferase reporter assay with amino acid substitution at the predicted ligand binding site revealed that the S264 residue of LXRα was the crucial interaction site of GF2. TR-FRET assay demonstrated that GF2 suppressed LXRα activity by favoring the binding of corepressors to LXRα while inhibiting the accessibility of coactivators. In vitro, GF2 treatments reduced T0901317-induced fat accumulation and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in hepatocytes and macrophages, respectively. Consistently, GF2 administration ameliorated hepatic steatohepatitis and improved glucose or insulin tolerance in WT but not in LXRα−/− mice. ConclusionGF2 alters the binding affinities of LXRα coregulators, thereby interrupting hepatic steatosis and inflammation in macrophages. Therefore, we propose that GF2 might be a potential therapeutic agent for the intervention in patients with MASLD.

Anti-prostate cancer components of black ginseng based on the "nine steaming and nine sun-drying" process

This study was to identify the main active components of black ginseng responsible for prostate cancer treatment. HPLC fingerprints of 10 batches of processed ginseng from the "nine steaming and nine sun-drying" procedure were established. MTT test was performed to evaluate the inhibitory activity of black ginseng on human prostate cancer (DU145) cells. The spectrum-effect relationship analysis was assessed by correlation coefficient and grey relational analysis, and the active ginsenosides were further validated by bioactivity assay. Results indicated the anti-prostate cancer activity of black ginseng increased until the 7th cycle times of steaming and sun-drying, and the primary anti-prostate cancer ingredients of black ginseng were disclosed to be ginsenosides Rg5, F4, Rh4, Rk1, R-Rg3, and S-Rg3, of which Rk3, Rg5, and F4 exerted the highest effects. It is for the first time that a spectrum-effect relationship based on the ingredient changes of the "Nine Steaming and Nine Sun-drying" process was used to identify the active anticancer constituents of ginseng systemically and could further the stronger anticancer activity of black ginseng as well as provide a theoretical basis for the quality evaluation of black ginseng.

Ginsenoside F4 Alleviates Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance by Regulating PTP1B in Type II Diabetes Mellitus.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease with increasing morbidity. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a major negative regulator of the insulin signaling cascade and has attracted intensive investigation in the T2DM study. Ginseng is widely used to treat metabolic diseases, while the effects of ginsenoside F4 (F4) on T2DM have remained unknown. Here, we identify F4 as an inhibitor of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. The results showed that F4 significantly improved the hyperglycemic state of db/db mice, alleviated dyslipidemia, and promoted skeletal muscle glucose uptake. This phenomenon was closely related to the inhibition of the PTP1B activity. On the one hand, the inhibition of PTP1B activity by F4 resulted in increased insulin receptor (INSR) and insulin receptor substrate 1 tyrosine phosphorylation and enhanced insulin sensitivity. On the other hand, F4 as a PTP1B inhibitor inhibited the inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE-1)/recombinant TNF receptor associated factor 2 (TRAF2)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathway and alleviated skeletal muscle endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, thereby reducing IRS-1 serine phosphorylation. Both finally activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and promoted glucose transporter protein 4 translocation to the cell membrane for glucose uptake. Taken together, our experiments demonstrate that F4 activates the insulin signaling pathway by inhibiting the activity of PTP1B while inhibiting the IRE-1/TRAF2/JNK signaling pathway, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and alleviating ER stress in the skeletal muscle of db/db mice. Our results indicate that F4 can be used as a PTP1B inhibitor for the treatment of T2DM.

A large-scale transcriptional analysis reveals herb-derived ginsenoside F2 suppressing hepatocellular carcinoma via inhibiting STAT3

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common type of cancer that shows great morbidity and mortality rates. However, there are limited available drugs to treat HCC. AimThe present work focused on discovering the potential anti-HCC compounds from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by employing high-throughput sequencing-based high-throughput screening (HTS2) together with the liver cancer pathway-associated gene signature. MethodsHTS2 assay was adopted for identifying herbs. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and computer-aided drug design (CADD) were used to identify key targets and screen the candidate natural products of herbs. Molecular docking, network pharmacology analysis, western blotting, immunofluorescent staining, subcellular fractionation experiment, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as well as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were performed to validate the ability of compound binding with key target and inhibiting its function. Moreover, cell viability, colony-forming, cell cycle assay and animal experiments were performed to examine the inhibitory effect of compound on HCC. ResultsWe examined the perturbation of 578 herb extracts on the expression of 84 genes from the liver cancer pathway, and identified the top 20 herbs significantly reverting the gene expression of this pathway. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was identified as one of the key targets of the liver cancer pathway by PPI network analysis. Then, by analyzing compounds from top 20 herbs utilizing CADD, we found ginsenoside F2 (GF2) binds to STAT3 with high affinity, which was further validated by the results from molecular docking, SPR and NMR. Additionally, our results showed that GF2 suppresses the phosphorylation of Y705 of STAT3, inhibits its nuclear translocation, decreases its transcriptional activity and inhibits the growth of HCC in vitro and in vivo. ConclusionBased on this large-scale transcriptional study, a number of anti-HCC herbs were identified. GF2, a compound derived from TCM, was found to be a chemical basis of these herbs in treating HCC. The present work also discovered that GF2 is a new STAT3 inhibitor, which is able to suppress HCC. As such, GF2 represents a new potential anti-HCC therapeutic strategy.

Biotransformation of ginsenoside Rb1 and Rd to four rare ginsenosides and evaluation of their anti-melanogenic effects.

Improving physiological activity of primary ginsenosides through biotransformation is of great significance for food applications. In this study, gynostapenoside XVII, gynostapenoside LXXV, ginsenoside F2, and ginsenoside CK were obtained by enzymolysis of an accessible extract composed of ginsenoside Rb1 and Rd. Their effects on melanin content and tyrosinase activity were compared in vitro, and molecular docking simulation was employed to elucidate the interaction between tyrosinase and individual saponin. The results indicated that four rare ginsenosides decreased tyrosinase activity, melanin content and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) expression level, more greatly than their primary ginsenosides, and they were more readily to bind with ASP10 and GLY68 at active site of tyrosinase to inhibit tyrosinase activity as well. These findings suggested that the rare ginsenosides obtained by enzymolysis had excellent anti-melanogenic effect, which could expand the application of ginsenosides in the field of functional foods and health supplements.

Ginsenoside F1 preparation from ginsenosides Re and Rg1 mixture of ginseng leaves by a 6-O-glycoside-ginsenosidase from Aspergillus sp. g383 strain

Ginsenoside F1 was prepared from ginseng-leaf ginsenosides Re and Rg1 using a 6-O-glycoside-ginsenosidase from Aspergillus sp.g383 strain. From 500 g ginseng leaves, a 25.1 g mixture of 54.2% Re and 45.8% Rg1 were extracted. The enzyme molecular weight was 54.5 kDa; the optimal temperature was 45 °C; and optimal pH, 5.0; Re's V max and Km were 11.6 mM/h and 10.9 mM, respectively; Rg1's were 7.69 mM and 0.917 mM/h. The 6-O-glycoside-ginsenosidase conversion rates of Re and Rg1 into F1 were faster than those of the other enzymes. In the preparation of ginsenoside F1, 2.5% mixture of Re and Rg1 from ginseng leaf-part was reacted at 45 °C for 36 h by crude enzyme at a low cost. From a 25 g mixture of Re and Rg1, 13.8 g ginsenoside F1 was obtained. The purity of F1 was 95%, and the molar yield from Re and Rg1 was 75%. F1 weight-yield from ginseng-leaves was 2.76%. Furthermore, ginseng-leaves were used to obtain extra ginsrnoside Re and ginseng-leaf PPD-ginsenosides. Thus, the ginsenosides F1, which could be used safely in ginseng food, cosmetics or drugs, were successfully produced by a non-GMO crude-enzyme from a Re and Rg1 mixture of ginseng-leaves.

Isolation and characterization of a novel glycoside hydrolase positive bacterial strain named Terrimonas ginsenosidimutans sp. nov. with ginsenoside-converting activity.

A novel yellow-pigmented catalase- and oxidase-positive bacterial strain (designated NA20T) was isolated from wetland soil and characterized. Results of 16S rRNA and draft genome sequence analysis placed strain NA20T within the genus Terrimonas of the family Chitinophagaceae. Strain NA20T showed ≤97.1 % sequence similarity to members of the genus Terrimonas and the highest sequence similarity was found to Terrimonas lutea DYT (97.1%). The draft genome of strain NA20T had a total length of 7 144 125 base pairs. A total of 5659 genes were identified, of which 5613 were CDS and 46 RNA genes were assigned a putative function. Mining the genomes revealed the presence of 225 carbohydrate genes out of 1334 genes. Strain NA20T contained iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 G, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c) as major fatty acids. The predominant quinone was MK-7. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unknown polar lipid and one unknown aminophospholipid. Additionally, the functional analysis of NA20T showed the conversion of protopanaxatriol-mix type major ginsenosides (Rb1, Rc and Rd) to minor ginsenosides F2 and weak conversion of Rh2 and C-K within 24 h. As a result, the genotypic, phenotypic and taxonomic analyses support the affiliation of NA20T within the genus Terrimonas, for which the name Terrimonas ginsenosidimutans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NA20T (=KACC 22218T=LMG 32198T).

Heterologous synthesis of ginsenoside F2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by pathway and UDP-glycosyltransferase engineering

Ginsenoside F2 (F2) is a rare tetracyclic triterpenoid saponin with a variety of bioactivities, such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant etc. In this study, we constructed the biosynthetic pathway of F2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by expressing UDP-glycosyltransferase 1 (UGT1) and glycosyltransferase yojK1 (GTK1) in a high protopanaxadiol (PPD) production strain WLT-MVA5. Subsequently, we fused the two glycosyltransferases and modified the endogenous pathways of S. cerevisiae, increasing the titer of F2 to 56.31 mg/L. Then, a combined semi-rational design and directed evolution method was applied to engineer GTK1 and a mutant GTK1F81W/F178S was finally obtained which further increased the F2 titer to 86.80 mg/L. Finally, the best performance strain was applied to scale up in the 5 L bioreactor and F2 titer reached 375.38 mg/L. This research realizes the high-production of F2 in S. cerevisiae and provides a reference method for the biosynthesis of other triterpenoid saponins.

Gypenoside biotransformation into ginsenoside F2 by endophytic Aspergillus niger from Gynostemma pentaphyllum

Ginsenoside F2 is a protopanaxadiol saponin compound with various biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Ginsenoside F2 can be found in ginseng, but in low quantities. Therefore, ginsenoside F2 production predominantly relies on the biotransformation of various ginsenosides, such as ginsenosides Rb1 and Rd. In this study, we reported the production of ginsenoside F2 by gypenoside biotransformation with Aspergillus niger JGL8, isolated from Gynostemma pentaphyllum. Ginsenoside F2 could be produced by two different biotransformation pathways, namely Gyp-V–Rd–F2 and Gyp-XVII–F2. The product exhibited antioxidant activity against free radicals (DPPH) with IC50 value of 29.54 µg/mL. Optimal biotransformation conditions were a pH of 5.0, temperature of 40 °C, and 2 mg/mL of substrate. Enzyme kinetic parameters revealed that the hydrolysis rate of Gyp-V, Rd, and Gyp-XVII was 0.625, 0.588, and 0.417 mM/h, respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrated that gypenoside is a substitutable substrate for ginsenoside F2 biotransformation.

LC-MS Analysis of Ginsenosides in Different Parts of Panax quinquefolius and Their Potential for Coronary Disease Improvement.

Seven main ginsenosides, including ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rb1, pseudoginsenoside F11, ginsenoside Rb2, ginsenoside Rb3, ginsenoside Rd, and ginsenoside F2, were identified by LC-QTOF MS/MS from root, leaf and flower extracts of Panax quinquefolius. These extracts promoted intersegmental vessel growth in a zebrafish model, indicating their potential cardiovascular health benefits. Network pharmacology analysis was then conducted to reveal the potential mechanisms of ginsenoside activity in the treatment of coronary artery disease. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses elucidated that G protein-coupled receptors played a critical role in VEGF-mediated signal transduction and that the molecular pathways associated with ginsenoside activity are involved in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, cholesterol metabolism, the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway, etc. Moreover, VEGF, FGF2, and STAT3 were confirmed as the major targets inducing proliferation of endothelial cells and driving the pro-angiogenic process. Overall, ginsenosides could be potent nutraceutical agents that act to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease. Our findings will provide a basis to utilize the whole P. quinquefolius plant in drugs and functional foods.

Ginsenoside F1 administration promotes UCP1-dependent fat browning and ameliorates obesity-associated insulin resistance

Obesity-induced type 2 diabetes is mainly due to excessive free fatty acids leading to insulin resistance. Increasing thermogenesis is regarded as an effective strategy for hypolipidemia and hypoglycemia. Ginsenoside is a natural active component in Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, and some of them enhance thermogenesis. However, there are few studies on the mechanism and target of ginsenosides enhancing thermogenesis. Using thermogenic protein uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-luciferase reporter assay, we identified ginsenoside F1 as a novel UCP1 activator in the ginsenosides library. Using pull down assay and inhibitor interference, we found F1 binds to β3-adrenergic receptors (β3-AR) to enhance UCP1 expression via cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway. We also investigated the ability of F1 on energy metabolism in obesity-induced diabetic mice, including body weight, body composition and energy expenditure. The results of proteomics showed that F1 significantly up-regulated thermogenesis proteins and lipolytic proteins, but down-regulated fatty acid synthesis proteins. Ginsenoside F1 increased thermogenesis and ameliorated insulin resistance specifically by promoting the browning of white adipose tissue in obese mice. Additionally, ginsenoside F1 improves norepinephrine-induced insulin resistance in adipocytes and hepatocytes, and shows a stronger mitochondria respiration ability than norepinephrine. These findings suggest that ginsenoside F1 is a promising lead compound in the improvement of insulin resistance.

Simultaneous transformation of ginsenoside Rb1 into rare ginsenoside F2 and Compound K by the extracellular enzyme from Aspergillus Niger Wu-16

The rare ginsenoside F2 and Compound K (CK) have high pharmacological activities in the treatment and prevention of diseases, but are difficult to obtain in nature. In this study, the extracellular enzymes from Aspergillus niger Wu-16 are applied to produce ginsenoside F2 and CK. The results show that the enzymes could catalyze the conversion of the substrate Rb1 to ginsenoside F2 and CK. The conversion conditions were optimized with a reaction time of 48 h, pH = 3, temperature of 55 °C, and enzyme-to-substrate ratio of 0.8. After the response surface optimization, the maximum conversion rates of ginsenoside F2 and CK were 50.11 % and 33.50 % respectively. On this basis, the highest conversion rate of rare ginsenoside CK reached 56.10 % by adding Co2+ with concentrations of 0.5 mM. This study provided a certain reference value for the production of rare ginsenosides F2 and CK with the advantage of enzymes catalysis.

Neuroprotective effects of hydroponic ginseng fermented by Lactococcus lactis KC24 in oxidatively stressed SH-SY5Y cells.

Panax ginseng Meyer, a traditional herb in Asia, contains bioactive compounds such as polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids, and ginsenosides. Furthermore, fermentation with probiotics can promote the biofunctional activities of ginseng. This study's object was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of hydroponic ginseng against hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 )-induced cytotoxicity and its effect on the fermentation time. Nonfermented hydroponic ginseng (HNF) was fermented with Lactococcus lactis KC24 at 37 °C for 12 h (H12F) or 24 h (H24F). As fermentation progressed, the content of ginsenosides Rd and F2 increased slightly. The viability of cells pretreated with H2 O2 -exposed nonfermented soil-cultivated ginseng (SNF), HNF, H12F, and H24F gradually improved. In addition, a similar cytotoxicity trend was observed for the level of lactate dehydrogenase released. Fermentation with L.lactis KC24 also enhanced the protective effect of HNF in all assays related to the neuroprotective pathway. In other words, superoxide dismutase and catalase messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels were upregulated in H24F-treated cells. Similarly, H24F also upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor to the highest observed concentration. Moreover, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was the lowest after H24F pretreatment in H2 O2 -induced SH-SY5Y cells. Attenuating the cytotoxicity in H2 O2 -induced SH-SY5Y cells, H24F markedly reduced caspase-3 and -9 mRNA expression and caspase-3 activity. These results suggest that HNF exhibited higher neuroprotection than SNF, which was enhanced after fermentation. This study demonstrates that H12F and H24F can be potential ingredients for developing healthy functional foods and pharmaceutical materials. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Biotransformation of the saponins in Panax notoginseng leaves mediated by gut microbiota from insomniac patients.

Saponins extracted from Panax notoginseng leaves by methanol or water could be orally administrated for insomnia with very low bioavailability, which might be bio-converted by gut microbiota to generate potential bioactive products. Moreover, gut microbiota profiles from insomniac patients are very different from healthy subjects. We aimed to compare the metabolic characteristics and profiles of the two saponins extract by incubation with gut microbiota from insomniac patients. The ginsenosides, notoginsenosides, and metabolites were identified and relatively quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Gut microbiota was profiled by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. The results showed that saponins were very different between methanol or water extract groups, which were metabolized by gut microbiota to generate similar yields. The main metabolites included ginsenoside Rd, ginsenoside F2 , ginsenoside C-Mc or ginsenoside C-Y, ginsenoside C-Mx, ginsenoside compound K, and protopanaxadiol in both groups, while gypenoside XVII, notoginsenoside Fe, ginsenoside Rd2 , and notoginsenoside Fd were the intermediates in the methanol group. Moreover, the microbial, Faecalibacterium prausnitzi, could bio-convert the saponins to obtain the corresponding metabolites. Our study implied that saponins extracted from P. notoginseng leaves by methanol or water could be used for insomniac patients due to gut microbiota biotransformation.

Recent Advances in Yeast Recombinant Biosynthesis of the Triterpenoid Protopanaxadiol and Glycosylated Derivatives Thereof.

Plant natural products are a seemingly endless resource for novel chemical structures. However, their extraction often results in high prices, fluctuation in both quantity and quality, and negative environmental impact. The latter might result from the extraction procedure but more often from the high amount of plant biomass required. With the advent of synthetic biology, producing natural plant products in large quantities using yeasts as hosts has become possible. Here, we focus on the recent advances in metabolic engineering of the yeasts species Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Yarrowia lipolytica for the synthesis of ginsenoside triterpenoids, namely, dammarenediol-II, protopanaxadiol, protopanaxatriol, compound K, ginsenoside Rh1, ginsenoside Rh2, ginsenoside Rg3, and ginsenoside F1. A discussion is provided on advanced synthetic biology, bioprocess strategies, and current challenges for the biosynthesis of ginsenoside triterpenoids. Finally, future directions in metabolic and process engineering are summarized and may help reify sustainable ginsenoside production.

Effects of solid-state fermentation using R. oligosporus on the phytochemical composition of wild-simulated ginseng leaf and its biological properties

Wild-simulated ginseng (WSG) grown in the mountains without specific facilities is widely used as functional foods in Asian countries due to its bioactive compounds, such as ginsenosides. However, long-time cultivation, lower survival rate, and small size of WSG limit its use in the food industry. In this study, WSG leaves, which can be harvested annually, were fermented using R. oligosporus for 0–10 days. The phytochemical compounds of fermented WSG leaves, including squalene, phenols, saponins, and most ginsenosides (except for Rb1), were increased. L-carnitine was newly synthesized in WSG leaves, with a content of 165.1 μg/g measured after 10 days of fermentation. Moreover, the minor ginsenosides Rg2, Rg3, Rh1, F1, F2, and CK increased by 1.32-, 1.58-, 1.42-, 1.91-, 1.49-, and 4.43-fold compared to non-fermented WSG leaves. The highest antioxidant activities, as measured by FRAP and ORAC assays of WSG leaves, were obtained after 3 days of fermentation. Furthermore, the suppression of NO release in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and lipid accumulation in mouse 3T3-L1 cells of fermented WSG leaves was greater than in WSG leaves. From these results, fermented WSG leaves have potential applications as functional materials in the food industry.

Comparison of the metabolomic and proteomic profiles associated with triterpene and phytosterol accumulation between wild and cultivated ginseng

Wild ginseng is thought to be superior in its medicinal quality to cultivated ginseng, potentially owing to the differences in active components. This study was designed accordingly to assess the differences in secondary metabolite components and their synthesis in wild and cultivated ginseng by using quantitative proteomics combined with secondary metabolomics approaches. A total of 72 secondary metabolites were found to be differentially abundant, of which dominant abundant in wild ginseng primarily included triterpenoid saponins (ginsenosides) and phytosterols. Ginsenoside diversity was increased in wild ginseng, particularly with respect to rare ginsenosides. Ginsenoside Rk1, F1, Rg5, Rh1, PPT, Rh2, and CK enriched in wild ginseng were validated by HPLC. In addition to ginsenosides, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were accumulated in wild ginseng. 102 differentially expressed proteins between wild and cultivated ginseng were identified using iTRAQ labeling technique. Among them, 25 were related to secondary metabolism, mainly involved in sesquiterpene and triterpene biosynthesis, which was consistent with metabolomics results. Consistently, the activity levels of HMGR, FDPS, SS, SE, DS, CYP450, GT and CAS, which are key enzymes related to ginsenoside and phytosterol biosynthesis, were confirmed to be elevated in wild ginseng.The biosynthesis of ginsenosides and phytosterols in wild ginseng is higher than that in cultivated ginseng, which may be related to natural growth without artificial domestication. To some extent, this study explained the accumulation of pharmacodynamic components and overall quality of ginseng, which could provide reference for the germplasm improvement and planting of ginseng.

Screening of the Active Compounds against Neural Oxidative Damage from Ginseng Phloem Using UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS Coupled with the Content-Effect Weighted Method.

The neuroprotective properties of ginsenosides have been found to reverse the neurological damage caused by oxidation in many neurodegenerative diseases. However, the distribution of ginsenosides in different tissues of the main root, which was regarded as the primary medicinal portion in clinical practice was different, the specific parts and specific components against neural oxidative damage were not clear. The present study aims to screen and determine the potential compounds in different parts of the main root in ginseng. Comparison of the protective effects in the main root, phloem and xylem of ginseng on hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death of SH-SY5Y neurons was investigated. UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS was used to quickly and comprehensively characterize the chemical compositions of the active parts. Network pharmacology combined with a molecular docking approach was employed to virtually screen for disease-related targets and potential active compounds. By comparing the changes before and after Content-Effect weighting, the compounds with stronger anti-nerve oxidative damage activity were screened out more accurately. Finally, the activity of the selected monomer components was verified. The results suggested that the phloem of ginseng was the most effective part. There were 19 effective compounds and 14 core targets, and enriched signaling pathway and biological functions were predicted. After Content-Effect weighting, compounds Ginsenosides F1, Ginsenosides Rf, Ginsenosides Rg1 and Ginsenosides Rd were screened out as potential active compounds against neural oxidative damage. The activity verification study indicated that all four predicted ginsenosides were effective in protecting SH-SY5Y cells from oxidative injury. The four compounds can be further investigated as potential lead compounds for neurodegenerative diseases. This also provides a combined virtual and practical method for the simple and rapid screening of active ingredients in natural products.

Chemical constituents of the roots of Vietnamese Panax pseudoginseng

AbstractPanax pseudoginseng is very precious national medicinal plant in Vietnam. Phytochemical study on the methanol extract of the roots of this plant led to the isolation of ten dammarane‐type triterpene glycosides including (20S)‐sanchirhinoside (1), 6‐O‐(β‐D‐glucopyranosyl)‐20‐O‐(β‐D‐xylopyranosyl)‐3β,6α,12β,20(S)‐tetrahydroxydrammar‐24‐ene (2), chikusetsusaponin L5 (3), notoginsenoside R1 (4), ginsenoside Re (5), ginsenoside Rb1 (6), ginsenoside F2 (7), ginsenoside Rd (8), ginsenoside F1 (9), and ginsenoside Rg1 (10). Their structures identified by HR‐ESI‐MS, 1D and 2D NMR data in comparison with the reported data. All the isolates showed significant inhibitory effects on NO production in the LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells with the IC50 values ranging from 21.04±2.21 to 32.21±2.12 μM, compared to a value of 9.80±0.78 μM for the positive control compound, NG‐monomethyl‐L‐arginine (L‐NMMA). In addition, the HPLC‐DAD methods were developed for quantitative analysis of the P. pseudoginseng roots showed that compounds 4, 6, 8, and 10 are the main components with the corresponding content of 0.74, 3.02, 0.65, and 3.58 % of the dried sample. This developed HPLC‐DAD method provides an adequate linearity (R2 > 0.999). This validated method was also conducted to determine four main components of P. pseudoginseng roots.

Discovery of enzymes to biotransform ginsenoside Rd into ginsenosides F2 and CK using metagenomics and genomic mining.

Ginsenosides are the main active components of ginseng, including many types and different contents. Among them, minor ginsenosides have better biological functions and pharmacological activities than those of the major ginsenosides. However, minor ginsenosides cannot be obtained in large quantities, but by means of enzymatic transformation technology, some major ginsenosides can be de-glycosylated at a specific position to generate minor ginsenosides. In this study, we report two glycosidase genes associated with the conversion of ginsenoside Rd to ginsenosides F2 or CK. SWMU-CK-1 was identified among the total genes extracted from the feces of plum deer by local Blast screening for putative ginsenoside conversion function, which could cause the conversion of ginsenoside Rd → F2 → CK. The other gene was found in the Bifidobacterium breve 689b SGAir 0764 chromosome genome, which might have the same function as the β-glucosidase gene testified by the gene matching, named SWMU-F2-2, and can achieve the Rd → F2 transformation. This study reports two genes that enable achieving the biotransformation of rare ginsenosides, while it provides a new insight and a promising approach to explore new genes and develop new functions of existing genes.