Quantification Of Ginsenosides Research Articles

Enhanced profiling and quantification of ginsenosides from mountain-cultivated ginseng and comparison with garden-cultivated ginseng

Panax ginseng can be generally divided into mountain-cultivated ginseng (MCG) and garden-cultivated ginseng (GCG). The market price of MCG is significantly higher than that of GCG. However, the chemical compositions of MCG and the differences from GCG remained unclear. In this study, an integrated strategy combing an offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography separation, LTQ-orbitrap dual mode acquisition, and Q-trap full quantification/quasi-quantification was proposed to explore and compare the chemical compositions of MCG. Consequently, 559 ginsenosides were characterized, among which 437 ginsenosides were in-depth characterized with α-chain and β-chain annotated. Subsequently, enhanced quantification of 213 ginsenosides was conducted in 57 batches of MCG and GCG. Ginsenosides were found more abundant in MCG than GCG. In addition, 25-year-old MCG could be distinctly differentiated from 15/20-year-old MCG. This strategy facilitated the enhanced profiling and comparison of ginsenosides, improved the quality control tactics of MCG and provided a reference approach for other ginseng related products.

Characterization and quantification of ginsenosides from the root of Panax quinquefolius L. by integrating untargeted metabolites and targeted analysis using UPLC-Triple TOF-MS coupled with UFLC-ESI-MS/MS

The root of Panax quinquefolius L. (RPQ) is considered as an important functional food and rich in bioactive components, ginsenosides. To comprehensively characterize ginsenosides and evaluate the quality of RPQ from different sources, UPLC-Triple TOF-MS coupled with UFLC-ESI-MS/MS was applied to untargeted metabolites and targeted analysis for the first time. In untargeted metabolites analysis, a total of 225 ginsenosides were identified from RPQ using UPLC-Triple TOF-MS combined with SWATH data-independent strategy. Furthermore, the contents of 39 targeted ginsenoside markers in 14 RPQ samples were analyzed by a rapid and sensitive UFLC-ESI-MS/MS method. In addition, the results of chemometric analysis showed the quality of American RPQ was distinguished from that of Chinese RPQ according to the amount of targeted ginsenosides. This newly developed approach provides a powerful tool for enriching the diversity of saponins database and assessing the quality of RPQ, which can be further extended to other ginseng products and functional foods.

Comprehensive Profiling and Quantification of Ginsenosides in the Root, Stem, Leaf, and Berry of Panax ginseng by UPLC-QTOF/MS.

The effective production and usage of ginsenosides, given their distinct pharmacological effects, are receiving increasing amounts of attention. As the ginsenosides content differs in different parts of Panax ginseng, we wanted to assess and compare the ginsenosides content in the ginseng roots, leave, stems, and berries. To extract the ginsenosides, 70% (v/v) methanol was used. The optimal ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS) method was used to profile various ginsenosides from the different parts of P. ginseng. The datasets were then subjected to multivariate analysis including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). A UPLC-QTOF/MS method with an in-house library was constructed to profile 58 ginsenosides. With this method, a total of 39 ginsenosides were successfully identified and quantified in the ginseng roots, leave, stem, and berries. PCA and HCA characterized the different ginsenosides compositions from the different parts. The quantitative ginsenoside contents were also characterized from each plant part. The results of this study indicate that the UPLC-QTOF/MS method can be an effective tool to characterize various ginsenosides from the different parts of P. ginseng.

UPLC Orbitrap HRMS Analysis of Panax quinquefolium L. for Authentication of Panax Genus with Chemometric Methods.

Ginsenosides in Panax quinquefolium L. were determined using developed ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS) method with electrospray ionization and orbitrap MS analyzer in negative ionization mode. Optimal UPLC separation was achieved using a mixture of acetonitrile and water with 0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase in linear gradient elution. The MS parameters were optimized for reliable detection with enhanced selectivity and sensitivity, and improved identification and quantification of ginsenosides. The applicability of this method was demonstrated on ginsenosides from Panax quinquefolium L. (American ginseng), Panax ginseng (Chinese ginseng) and Panax notoginseng (Sanchi) roots and products. The differences between Chinese and Northern American Panax quinquefolium L., main roots and hair roots, and products from different pharmacy were investigated. The results were also confirmed by principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminatory analysis. It indicated that the strategy can be extended to rapid and accurate authentication of Panax genus.

Conversion of ginsenosides by Lactobacillus plantarum studied by liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole trap mass spectrometry

Ginsenosides are the active components responsible for the pharmacological properties of ginseng, a commonly used medicinal plant and food ingredient. This study aimed to determine the changes of ginsenosides during fermentation of ginseng extract or reference ginsenosides with Lactobacillus plantarum. Chemically acidified ginseng extracts served as controls. High performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-trap (Q-TRAP) mass spectrometry method was employed for analysis and quantification of ginsenosides, and for identification of metabolites. A total of 14 metabolites were identified; the quantification of metabolites was achieved by tandem mass spectrometry in MRM mode. Metabolism of L. plantarum removed glucosyl moieties from ginsenosides Rb1, Rd, and Re at the C-20 position to produce a racemic mixture of products. Remarkably, removal of glycosyl residues occurred not only by hydrolysis but also by dehydration to produce racemic mixtures of Δ20(21) or Δ20(22) products. Biotransformation occurred more rapidly with the di-substituted ginsenoside Rb1 when compared to the mono-substituted ginsenoside Rd. This study thus extends the knowledge of biotransformation of ginsenosides to produce bioactive derivatives.

Variation in the ginsenoside profiles of cultivated ginseng ( Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) landraces in Korea

Heterogeneity of ginsenosides is a remarkable and significant issue because those structure-similar secondary metabolites have different or even totally opposite pharmacological activities. This study describes ginsenoside profile variations in Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer cultivated in Korea using an HPLC-UV coupled to ESI-MS for characterization and quantification of ginsenosides contained in the root of ginseng. The [M-H] − ion was observed for ginsenoside standards (Rg 1, Re, Rf, Rh 1, Rg 2, Rb 1, Rc, Rb 2, Rb 3, Rd, Rg 3 and Rh 2) and 190 different ginseng extracts. The individual variations in the P. ginseng population were classified into three types, based on the expression pattern of six core ginsenosides containing Ra 1/Ra 2 and malonyl-Ra 1/Ra 2 isomers. The variations in the six core ginsenosides, which are defined as pattern indicators, play a key role in discriminating between three subtypes of standard P. ginseng species. In addition, cross-correlation analysis of the identified ginsenosides indicates that the specific ginsenosides, including pattern-indicating components, are in part possibly synthesized via common ginsenoside biosynthesis pathways. Taken together, these findings provide a basis for identifying standard P. ginseng landraces.

Determination of ginsenosides in plant extracts from Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius L. by LC/MS/MS.

An HPLC/MS/MS method has been developed for the characterization and quantification of ginsenosides contained in extracts of the root of Panax ginseng (Korean ginsengs) and Panax quinquefolius L. (American ginsengs). The [M + H]+ and [M + Na]+ ions were observed for ginsenoside standards (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg1) and four different ginseng extracts. The glycosidic linkages, the core, and the attached sugar(s) of the ginsenosides can be determined from the collision-induced dissociation spectra from the protonated molecules. The relative distribution of these ginsenosides in each extract of American or Korean ginseng was established.

Identification and quantification of ginsenosides in various commercial ginseng preparations

Recently developed accurate GC and GC-MS methods were used to characterize various commercial ginseng preparations purchased from pharmacies or well reputed health stores in seven European countries, Argentina, Canada, China and the USA. The methods used are based on quantification of the aglycones (20s-protopanaxadiol, 20s-protopanaxatriol and oleanolic acid) of the ginsenosides after oxidative cleavage in alkali. The most pure ginseng preparations ( n = 14) contained from 1.9% to 8.1% (w/w) ginsenosides (using ginsenoside Rg 1, Rb 1 and Ro as calibrators and panaxatriol as internal standard). The content of ginsenosides in different ginseng extracts (in 20 ginseng extract preparations) varied from 4.9% to 13.3% (w/w). Some liquid formulations as well as some preparations of red ginseng were shown to contain artifacts (epimerization and hydration products of 20s-protopanaxadiol and 20s-protopanaxatriol). The latter compounds are not likely to be detected by the common HPLC analysis of intact ginsenosides. American ginseng and San-chi ginseng were also analyzed. The present method is suitable for evaluation of different types of ginseng preparations.