Isolation and analysis of ginseng: advances and challenges

General and Genetic Toxicology of Enzyme-Treated Ginseng Extract: Toxicology of Ginseng Rh2

OBJECTIVES

Ginseng Rh2+ is enzyme-treated ginseng extract containing high amounts of converted ginsenosides, such as compound k, Rh2, Rg3, which have potent anticancer activity. We conducted general and genetic toxicity tests to evaluate the safety of ginseng Rh2+.

METHODS

An acute oral toxicity test was performed at a high-level dose of 4,000 mg/kg/day in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. A 14-day range-finding study was also conducted to set dose levels for the 90-day study. A subchronic 90-day toxicity study was performed at dose levels of 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg/day to investigate the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of ginseng Rh2+ and target organs. To identify the mutagenic potential of ginseng Rh2+, we conducted a bacterial reverse mutation test (Ames test) using amino-acid-requiring strains of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli (E. coli), a chromosome aberration test with Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells, and an in vivo micronucleus test using ICR mice bone marrow as recommended by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

RESULTS

According to the results of the acute oral toxicity study, the approximate lethal dose (ALD) of ginseng Rh2+ was estimated to be higher than 4,000 mg/kg. For the 90-day study, no toxicological effect of ginseng Rh2+ was observed in body-weight changes, food consumption, clinical signs, organ weights, histopathology, ophthalmology, and clinical pathology. The NOAEL of ginseng Rh2+ was established to be 2,000 mg/kg/day, and no target organ was found in this test. In addition, no evidence of mutagenicity was found either on the in vitro genotoxicity tests, including the Ames test and the chromosome aberration test, or on the in vivo in mice bone marrow micronucleus test.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of our findings, ginseng Rh2+ is a non-toxic material with no genotoxicity. We expect that ginseng Rh2+ may be used as a novel adjuvant anticancer agent that is safe for long-term administration.

Authentication of Schisandra chinensis and Schisandra sphenanthera in Chinese patent medicines

Authentication of species is crucial for ensuring the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines. The fruits of Schisandra chinensis and S. sphenanthera have been used for the same traditional Chinese drug, Wuweizi, but are found to be quite different according to their constituents, pharmacological effects, and qualities. These two fruits have been recorded as Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus (Wuweizi) and Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus (Nan-wuweizi), respectively, by Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 2000 edition. However, Nan-wuweizi is often found to be taken as Wuweizi in some Chinese patent drugs intentionally or by mistake because of its lower price and similar characteristics to Wuweizi. In this study, the selection and validation of special chemical markers for the identification of Schisandra species were established by HPLC-DAD-MS profiling analysis. Simple TLC and HPLC methods were proposed for the accurate determination of Nan-wuweizi from Wuweizi in Chinese patent medicines, using schisandrin and anwulignan as the identifying markers for Wuweizi and Nan-wuweizi, respectively. Through the establishment of a statistical model, adulterated or misused ratios of Nan-wuweizi in Wuweizi (w/w), as well as in Fenghan Kesou pills, can be determined. The limit of detection of Nan-wuweizi in a mixture (w/w) using both TLC and HPLC methods is 5% (mixed crude drugs of 50mg and 5g in a 1000g prescribed amount). The constructed statistical model relating the HPLC peak area ratio (anwulignan/schisandrin) and adulteration ratio is suitable for mixed crude drugs and Fenghan Kesou pills, and the two fitting equations have a good correlation (r=0.9979). Furthermore, 36 commercial Chinese patent medicines containing Wuweizi or Nan-wuweizi according to their labels were checked by these methods, and Nan-wuweizi was detected in Renshen Wuweizi Granules and Fenghan Kesou Pills. The ratios of Nan-wuweizi in these mixtures (w/w) were 100:0 for both, which does not comply with the statutory prescription. This study provided a simple and reliable method to prevent the adulteration or misuse of Nan-wuweizi in crude drugs and patent medicines of Wuweizi.

Chemical transformation and target preparation of saponins in stems and leaves of Panax notoginseng

Background

Notoginsenoside Ft1 is a promising potential candidate for cardiovascular and cancer disease therapy owing to its positive pharmacological activities. However, the yield of Ft1 is ultralow utilizing reported methods. Herein, an acid hydrolyzing strategy was implemented in the acquirement of rare notoginsenoside Ft1.

Methods

Chemical profiles were identified by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with quadruple-time-of-flight and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-ESI-MS). The acid hydrolyzing dynamic changes of chemical compositions and the possible transformation pathways of saponins were monitored by ultrahigh-performance LC coupled with tandem MS (UHPLC-MS/MS).

Results and conclusion

Notoginsenoside Ft1 was epimerized from notoginsenoside ST4, which was generated through cleaving the carbohydrate side chains at C-20 of notoginsenosides Fa and Fc, and vina-ginsenoside R7, and further converted to other compounds via hydroxylation at C-25 or hydrolysis of the carbohydrate side chains at C-3 under the acid conditions. High temperature contributed to the hydroxylation reaction at C-25 and 25% acetic acid concentration was conducive to the preparation of notoginsenoside Ft1. C-20 epimers of notoginsenoside Ft1 and ST4 were successfully separated utilizing solvent method of acetic acid solution. The theoretical preparation yield rate of notoginsenoside Ft1 was about 1.8%, which would be beneficial to further study on its bioactivities and clinical application.

American Ginseng Attenuates Colitis-Associated Colon Carcinogenesis in Mice: Impact on Gut Microbiota and Metabolomics

Inflammatory bowel disease is a risk factor for colorectal cancer initiation and development. In this study, the effects of American ginseng on chemically induced colitis and colon carcinogenesis were evaluated using an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) mouse model. During the acute phase on day 15, the oral administration of ginseng (15 and 30 mg/kg/day) significantly suppressed AOM/DSS-induced colitis, as demonstrated by the disease activity index and colon tissue histology. During the chronic phase in week 13, AOM/DSS-induced tumor multiplicity was significantly suppressed by ginseng. Ginseng significantly attenuated the increase of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL1α, IL1β, IL6, G-CSF, and GM-CSF. Serum metabolomics data in the PCA plots showed good separation between the AOM/DSS model and ginseng-treated mice, and the most important endogenous metabolite changes were identified. The 16S rRNA data showed that after AOM/DSS, the microbiome community in the model group was obviously changed, and ginseng inhibited these changes. Fecal metabolomics analysis supported these findings. In conclusion, oral ginseng significantly decreased AOM/DSS-induced colitis and colon carcinogenesis by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines and restoring the metabolomics and microbiota profiles accordingly. Selective endogenous small molecules could be used as biomarkers to elucidate the effects of ginseng treatment. Cancer Prev Res; 9(10); 803-11. ©2016 AACR.

High-mass-resolution MALDI mass spectrometry imaging of metabolites from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue

Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens are the gold standard for histological examination, and they provide valuable molecular information in tissue-based research. Metabolite assessment from archived tissue samples has not been extensively conducted because of a lack of appropriate protocols and concerns about changes in metabolite content or chemical state due to tissue processing. We present a protocol for the in situ analysis of metabolite content from FFPE samples using a high-mass-resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-FT-ICR-MSI) platform. The method involves FFPE tissue sections that undergo deparaffinization and matrix coating by 9-aminoacridine before MALDI-MSI. Using this platform, we previously detected ∼1,500 m/z species in the mass range m/z 50-1,000 in FFPE samples; the overlap compared with fresh frozen samples is 72% of m/z species, indicating that metabolites are largely conserved in FFPE tissue samples. This protocol can be reproducibly performed on FFPE tissues, including small samples such as tissue microarrays and biopsies. The procedure can be completed in a day, depending on the size of the sample measured and raster size used. Advantages of this approach include easy sample handling, reproducibility, high throughput and the ability to demonstrate molecular spatial distributions in situ. The data acquired with this protocol can be used in research and clinical practice.

Tartaric acid induced conversion of protopanaxadiol to ginsenosides Rg3 and Rg5 and their in situ recoveries by integrated expanded bed adsorption chromatography

Panax ginseng has been applied in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2000 years. It is still one of the most popular herbs in recent decades. The prescribed ginseng-containing medicines consist of protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol ginsenosides, which are the major constituents of the herb. Minor ginsenosides at low levels in the herb, such as Rg3 and Rg5 , have attracted more rising attention than the major ones. The existing approaches to prepare Rg3 and Rg5 usually rely on either steamed red ginseng as the source or chemical/enzymatic conversion of protopanaxadiol to the targets. It is still highly desirable to effectively achieve such minor components. In this paper, a method integrated extraction of protopanaxadiol and conversion of it to Rg3 and Rg5 has been proposed. Protopanaxadiol was extracted and simultaneously converted to Rg3 and Rg5 by d,l-tartaric acid. The targets were absorbed by resins on expanded bed adsorption chromatography and were then separated from other ginsenosides in different stages. Compared with conventional methods, the developed process has advantages in shortening time consumption and improving the conversion ratio of protopanaxadiol, which is promising in directly achieving Rg3 and Rg5 from P. ginseng.

Antimelanogenesis Activity of Hydrolyzed Ginseng Extract (GINST) via Inhibition of JNK Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase in B16F10 Cells

GINST is a hydrolyzed ginseng extract produced by an in vitro process that imitates the metabolic function of bacteria in the human digestive track and has approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea for the management of postprandial hyperglycemia. Additionally, GINST has been reported to have other physiological functions including anti-aging and antioxidant effects. The objectives of this study are to compare the antimelanogenic effects of fresh ginseng extract (FGE) and GINST extract and to elucidate the functional mechanism. The concentration of total ginsenosides in FGE and GINST was measured using ultraperformance liquid chromatography with a C18 column. B16F10 cells were treated with FGE and GINST for 72 h to assess melanin content, tyrosinase activity, and protein levels of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1). The activity of kinases involved in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, such as extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38), were measured using western blots. While neither FGE nor GINST inhibited the activity of mushroom tyrosinase directly, GINST decreased melanogenesis and tyrosinase activity markedly. Furthermore, our results indicate that GINST downregulated the levels of MITF and TRP-1 possibly by suppressing JNK signaling. We concluded that, when compared to FGE, GINST has a superior antimelanogenic effect mediated by the downregulation of MITF, TRP-1, and intracellular tyrosinase activity via the JNK signaling pathway. Thus, we suggest that GINST has the potential to be used as a novel skin whitening agent.

Variation of Ginsenosides in Ginseng of Different Ages

Panax ginseng has been used in traditional oriental medicine for thousands of years. Ginsenosides, the major chemical components of the roots, are considered to be responsible for the medicinal properties of ginseng. Ginsenosides increase with the age of ginseng root in general knowledge, and in this study the content of ginsenosides in ginseng of different ages was quantified. Separation and determination of eight main ginsenosides, Rgl, Re, Rbl, Re, Rg2, Rb2, Rb3 and Rd, was performed by high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection at 203 nm. The content of Rgl, Re, Rbl, Re, Rg2 and Rd increased from 5 to 16-year-old ginseng and then decreased, while Rb2 and Rb3 increased in the range of 5-12 years, but then slowly decreased. However, the total eight ginsenosides in 16 year old ginseng had a higher content than that in any other from 5-18 years old. As a result, the content of ginsenosides and total ginsenosides was not positively related to age from 5-18 years, which is not in full agreement with the general knowledge of ginseng. Thus, this study suggests that the older wild ginseng may not result in better medicinal ginseng for herbal medicines.

Gut microbiota-involved mechanisms in enhancing systemic exposure of ginsenosides by coexisting polysaccharides in ginseng decoction

Oral decoctions of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) serve for therapeutic and prophylactic management of diseases for centuries. Small molecules and polysaccharides are the dominant chemicals co-occurred in the TCM decoction. Small molecules are well-studied by multidisciplinary elaborations, whereas the role of polysaccharides remains largely elusive. Here we explore a gut microbiota-involved mechanism by which TCM polysaccharides restore the homeostasis of gut microbiota and consequently promote the systemic exposure of concomitant small molecules in the decoction. As a case study, ginseng polysaccharides and ginsenosides in Du-Shen-Tang, the decoction of ginseng, were investigated on an over-fatigue and acute cold stress model. The results indicated that ginseng polysaccharides improved intestinal metabolism and absorption of certain ginsenosides, meanwhile reinstated the perturbed holistic gut microbiota, and particularly enhanced the growth of Lactobacillus spp. and Bacteroides spp., two major metabolic bacteria of ginsenosides. By exploring the synergistic actions of polysaccharides with small molecules, these findings shed new light on scientization and rationalization of the classic TCM decoctions in human health care.

Determination of American ginseng saponins and their metabolites in human plasma, urine and feces samples by liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

American ginseng is a commonly consumed herbal medicine in the United States and other countries. Ginseng saponins are considered to be its active constituents. We have previously demonstrated in an in vitro experiment that human enteric microbiota metabolize ginseng parent compounds into their metabolites. In this study, we analyzed American ginseng saponins and their metabolites in human plasma, urine and feces samples by liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS). Six healthy male volunteers ingested 1 g of American ginseng twice a day for 7 days. On day 7, biological samples were obtained and pretreated with solid phase extraction. The ginseng constituents and their metabolites were characterized, including 5 ginseng metabolites in plasma, 10 in urine, and 26 in feces. For the plasma, urine and feces samples, the levels of ginsenoside Rb1 (a major parent compound) were 8.6, 56.8 and 57.7 ng/mL, respectively, and the levels of compound K (a major metabolite) were 58.4 ng/mL, 109.8 ng/mL and 10.06 μg/mL, respectively. It suggested that compound K had a remarkably high level in all three samples. Moreover, in human feces, ginsenoside Rk1 and Rg5, Rk3 and Rh4, Rg6 and F4 were detected as the products of dehydration. Further studies are needed to evaluate the pharmacological activities of the identified ginseng metabolites.

Microbial conversion of major ginsenosides in ginseng total saponins by Platycodon grandiflorum endophytes

Background

In this study, we screened and identified an endophyte JG09 having strong biocatalytic activity for ginsenosides from Platycodon grandiflorum, converted ginseng total saponins and ginsenoside monomers, determined the source of minor ginsenosides and the transformation pathways, and calculated the maximum production of minor ginsenosides for the conversion of ginsenoside Rb1 to assess the transformation activity of endophyte JG09.

Methods

The transformation of ginseng total saponins and ginsenoside monomers Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg1 into minor ginsenosides F2, C-K and Rh1 using endophyte JG09 isolated by an organizational separation method and Esculin-R2A agar assay, as well as the identification of transformed products via TLC and HPLC, were evaluated. Endophyte JG09 was identified through DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis.

Results

A total of 32 β-glucosidase-producing endophytes were screened out among the isolated 69 endophytes from P. grandiflorum. An endophyte bacteria JG09 identified as Luteibacter sp. effectively converted protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd into minor ginsenosides F2 and C-K, and converted protopanaxatriol-type ginsenoside Rg1 into minor ginsenoside Rh1. The transformation pathways of major ginsenosides by endophyte JG09 were as follows: Rb1→Rd→F2→C-K; Rb2→C-O→C-Y→C-K; Rc→C-Mc1→C-Mc→C-K; Rg1→Rh1. The maximum production rate of ginsenosides F2 and C-K reached 94.53% and 66.34%, respectively.

Conclusion

This is the first report about conversion of major ginsenosides into minor ginsenosides by fermentation with P. grandiflorum endophytes. The results of the study indicate endophyte JG09 would be a potential microbial source for obtaining minor ginsenosides.

Determination of ginsenosides in Asian and American ginsengs by liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight MS: assessing variations based on morphological characteristics

Background

Asian ginseng and American ginseng are functional foods that share a close genetic relationship and are well-known worldwide. This article aims to investigate the correlation between morphological characteristics and the inherent quality of Asian and American ginsengs.

Methods

In this study, an ultra-HPLC–quadrupole/time-of-flight MS (UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS) method was established for the quantitative analysis of 45 ginseng samples. The method developed for determination was precise and accurate.

Results

The results showed that Asian ginseng samples with the same growing time (with the same or similar number of stem scars) that had a thinner main root, a longer rhizome and more branch roots contained greater amounts of ginsenosides. For American ginseng, two tendencies were observed in the relationship between the diameter of the main root and contents of ginsenosides. One tendency was that samples with thinner main roots tended to contain higher levels of ginsenosides, which was observed in the samples sold under the commercial name pao-shen. Another tendency was that samples with thicker main roots contained higher contents of ginsenosides, which was observed in the samples sold under the commercial name pao-mian, as well as in samples of American ginseng cultivated in Jilin, China.

Conclusion

An approach using ultra-HPLC–quadrupole/time-of-flight MS was successfully established to link morphology and active components for evaluating the quality of Asian and American ginsengs. Clear correlation between visible morphological features and quality of Asian and American ginsengs was found. People can see the difference; this means consumers and vendors can evaluate ginseng by themselves.

Tissue-specific metabolite profiling and quantitative analysis of ginsenosides in Panax quinquefolium using laser microdissection and liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time of flight-mass spectrometry

Background

The root of Panax quinquefolium L., famous as American ginseng all over the world, is one of the most widely-used medicinal or edible materials. Ginsenosides are recognized as the main bioactive chemical components responsible for various functions of American ginseng. In this study, tissue-specific chemicals of P. quinquefolium were analyzed by laser microdissection and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography- quadrupole/time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/TOF–MS) to elucidate the distribution pattern of ginsenosides in tissues. The contents of ginsenosides in various tissues were also compared.

Results

A total of 34 peaks were identified or temporarily identified in the chromatograms of tissue extractions. The cork, primary xylem or cortex contained higher contents of ginsenosides than phloem, secondary xylem and cambium. Thus, it would be reasonable to deduce that the ratio of total areas of cork, primary xylem and the cortex to the area of the whole transection could help to judge the quality of American ginseng by microscopic characteristics.

Conclusion

This study sheds new light on the role of microscopic research in quality evaluation, and provides useful information for probing the biochemical pathways of ginsenosides. Graphical abstract

Study of the non-covalent interactions of ginsenosides and lysozyme using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

Ginsenosides are an important class of natural products extracted from ginseng that possess various important biological activities. Studies of interactions of ginsenosides with proteins are essential for comprehensive understanding of the biological activities of ginsenosides. In this study, the interactions of ginsenosides with lysozyme were investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS).

METHODS

Both protopanaxadiol-type and protopanaxatriol-type ginsenosides were chosen to explore the interactions of ginsenosides towards lysozyme near the physiological conditions by direct ESI-MS, respectively. Comparative experiments were conducted to confirm the interactions were specific. In addition, the dissociation constants of ginsenoside-lysozyme complexes were determined by a ESI-MS titration strategy.

RESULTS

The results showed ginsenosides bound to lysozyme at the stoichiometries of 1:1 and 2:1. The association constants of ginsenosides to lysozyme were in the order of Re>Rd>Rf>Rg2 >Rg3 . According to their structures, the binding affinities associated with the type of aglycone and the type and the number of sugar moieties linked on the aglycone.

CONCLUSIONS

It has been demonstrated that ESI-MS is a powerful tool to probe the non-covalent interactions between lysozyme and ginsenosides. These results provide insights into the interaction of ginsenosides with lysozyme at the molecular level. The developed strategy could be applied to determine the interactions of proteins with other natural products.

Localization of ginsenosides in Panax ginseng with different age by matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry imaging

The root of Panax ginseng C.A. Mey. (P. ginseng) is one of the most popular traditional Chinese medicines, with ginsenosides as its main bioactive components. Because different ginsenosides have varied pharmacological effects, extraction and separation of ginsenosides are usually required for the investigation of pharmacological effects of different ginsenosides. However, the contents of ginsenosides vary with the ages and tissues of P. ginseng root. In this research, an efficient method to explore the distribution of ginsenosides and differentiate P. ginseng roots with different ages was developed based on matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-TOF-MSI). After a simple sample preparation, there were 18 peaks corresponding to 31 ginsenosides with distinct localization in the mass range of m/z 700-1400 identified by MALDI-TOF-MSI and MALDI-TOF-MS/MS. All the three types of ginsenosides were successfully detected and visualized in images, which could be correlated with anatomical features. The P. ginseng at the ages of 2, 4 and 6 could be differentiated finely through the principal component analysis of data collected from the cork based on the ion images but not data from the whole tissue. The experimental result implies that the established method for the direct analysis of metabolites in plant tissues has high potential for the rapid identification of metabolites and analysis of their localizations in medicinal herbs. Furthermore, this technique also provides valuable information for the component-specific extraction and pharmacological research of herbs.

Expeditious discrimination of four species of the Panax genus using direct infusion-MS/MS combined with multivariate statistical analysis

A practical approach based on direct infusion-MS/MS (DI-MS/MS) was demonstrated for metabolomic classification of four species in the Panax genus. The species Panax ginseng, Panax notoginseng, Panax quinquefolius and Panax vietnamensis were analyzed to develop an efficient tool for authenticating ginseng. Four target ions (m/z 783.5, 945.5, 1107.5 and 1149.2) were selected from LC-MS screening results for DI-MS/MS analysis. The target ions served as classifiers of the four species. As a targeted analysis, DI-MS/MS provided the structural identities of the target ions, clear spectral data and high sensitivity in a shorter time than routine LC-MS analysis. Principal component analysis and partial least squares-discriminant analysis of the DI-MS/MS fingerprinting revealed distinct grouping of the data. The results were validated by cross-validation and a permutation test to examine the utility of the statistical models. The spectral intensities of each species were compared with one another using box plots, which allowed straightforward authentication of the Panax species. The proposed method showed improved efficiency over other current methods for discrimination of large quantities of plant material. Additionally, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in which DI-MS/MS has been used to classify plant samples.

Ginseng Metabolites on Cancer Chemoprevention: An Angiogenesis Link?

Cancer is a leading cause of death in the United States. Angiogenesis inhibitors have been introduced for the treatment of cancer. Based on the fact that many anticancer agents have been developed from botanical sources, there is a significant untapped resource to be found in natural products. American ginseng is a commonly used herbal medicine in the U.S., which possesses antioxidant properties. After oral ingestion, natural ginseng saponins are biotransformed to their metabolites by the enteric microbiome before being absorbed. The major metabolites, ginsenoside Rg3 and compound K, showed significant potent anticancer activity compared to that of their parent ginsenosides Rb1, Rc, and Rd. In this review, the molecular mechanisms of ginseng metabolites on cancer chemoprevention, especially apoptosis and angiogenic inhibition, are discussed. Ginseng gut microbiome metabolites showed significant anti-angiogenic effects on pulmonary, gastric and ovarian cancers. This review suggests that in addition to the chemopreventive effects of ginseng compounds, as angiogenic inhibitors, ginsenoside metabolites could be used in combination with other cancer chemotherapeutic agents in cancer management.

Commonly Used Dietary Supplements on Coagulation Function during Surgery

BACKGROUND

Patients who undergo surgery appear to use dietary supplements significantly more frequently than the general population. Because they contain pharmacologically active compounds, dietary supplements may affect coagulation and platelet function during the perioperative period through direct effects, pharmacodynamic interactions, and pharmacokinetic interactions. However, in this regard, limited studies have been conducted that address the pharmacological interactions of dietary supplements. To avoid possible bleeding risks during surgery, information of potential complications of dietary supplements during perioperative management is important for physicians.

METHODS

Through a systematic database search of all available years, articles were identified in this review if they included dietary supplements and coagulation/platelet function, while special attention was paid to studies published after 1990.

RESULTS

Safety concerns are reported in commercially available dietary supplements. Effects of the most commonly used natural products on blood coagulation and platelet function are systematically reviewed, including 11 herbal medicines (echinacea, ephedra, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, ginseng, green tea, kava, saw palmetto, St John's wort, and valerian) and 4 other dietary supplements (coenzyme Q₁₀, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, fish oil, and vitamins). Bleeding risks of garlic, ginkgo, ginseng, green tea, saw palmetto, St John's wort, and fish oil are reported. Cardiovascular instability was observed with ephedra, ginseng, and kava. Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions between dietary supplements and drugs used in the perioperative period are discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

To prevent potential problems associated with the use of dietary supplements, physicians should be familiar with the perioperative effects of commonly used dietary supplements. Since the effects of dietary supplements on coagulation and platelet function are difficult to predict, it is prudent to advise their discontinuation before surgery.

Chemical synthesis of saponins

Saponins are a large family of amphiphilic glycosides of steroids and triterpenes found in plants and some marine organisms. By expressing a large diversity of structures on both sugar chains and aglycones, saponins exhibit a wide range of biological and pharmacological properties and serve as major active principles in folk medicines, especially in traditional Chinese medicines. Isolation of saponins from natural sources is usually a formidable task due to the microheterogeneity of saponins in Nature. Chemical synthesis can provide access to large amounts of natural saponins as well as congeners for understanding their structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of action. This article presents a comprehensive account on chemical synthesis of saponins. First highlighted are general considerations on saponin synthesis, including preparation of aglycones and carbohydrate building blocks, assembly strategies, and protecting-group strategies. Next described is the state of the art in the synthesis of each type of saponins, with an emphasis on those representative saponins having sophisticated structures and potent biological activities.

A strategy for the identification of combinatorial bioactive compounds contributing to the holistic effect of herbal medicines

It has been well claimed that herbal medicines (HMs) elicit effects via a multi-compounds and multi-targets synergistic mode. However, it lacks appropriate strategies to uncover the combinatory compounds that take effect together and contribute to a certain pharmacological effect of an herb as a whole, which represents a major bottleneck in providing sound evidence in supporting the clinic benefits of HMs. Here, we proposed a strategy to the identification of combinatory compounds contributing to the anti-inflammatory activity of Cardiotonic Pill (CP). The strategy proposed herein contains four core steps, including the identification of bioequivalent combinatorial compounds, chemical family classification-based combinatorial screen, interactive mode evaluation, and activity contribution index assay. Using this strategy, we have successfully identified six compounds in combination responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect of CP, whose anti-inflammatory activities were found comparable to that of the whole CP. Additionally, these six compounds take effect via an additive mode but little synergism. This study, together with our recent work in the identification of bioactive equivalent compounds combination, provides a widely applicable strategy to the identification of combinatory compounds responsible for a certain pharmacological activity of HMs.

Homolog-focused profiling of ginsenosides based on the integration of step-wise formate anion-to-deprotonated ion transition screening and scheduled multiple reaction monitoring

Homolog-focused profiling is a favored option to bridge targeted metabolomics toward non-targeted metabolomics. In current study, an attempt was made for the large-scale ginsenoside-specific analysis in ginseng (G) and American ginseng (AG). When formic acid (0.1%, v/v) was introduced as the mobile phase additive, formate anion-to-deprotonated ion transitions ([M+HCOO](-)>[M-H](-)) with an optimal collision energy (-32eV) could result in satisfactory responses for ginsenosides. Therefore, a step-wise multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-based method employing [M+HCOO](-)>[M-H](-) ion pairs was constructed to screen ginsenosides among 501-1250u (for Q1) with a step-size of 2u, and MRM also served as a survey experiment to trigger enhanced product ion scans for MS(2) spectrum acquisition on a hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer; then, the identification of those observed ginsenosides was achieved on the basis of the well-defined mass cracking patterns for ginsenosides; afterwards, scheduled MRM was introduced for large-scale relatively quantitative analysis of all detected ginsenosides. Finally, comparative metabolomics were performed to differentiate G, AG, and their processed products. Method validation was carried out using thirteen authentic compounds. A total of 221 ginsenosides, among which 185 ones were annotated, were observed and relatively quantitated. All crude materials were obviously classified into groups I-III. Above all, the MRM-based homolog-focused profiling of ginsenosides could be used as a reliable tool to gain an in-depth view for ginsenoside-enriched herbal products.

Proteomic analysis of amino acid metabolism differences between wild and cultivated Panax ginseng

Background

The present study aimed to compare the relative abundance of proteins and amino acid metabolites to explore the mechanisms underlying the difference between wild and cultivated ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) at the amino acid level.

Methods

Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation were used to identify the differential abundance of proteins between wild and cultivated ginseng. Total amino acids in wild and cultivated ginseng were compared using an automated amino acid analyzer. The activities of amino acid metabolism-related enzymes and the contents of intermediate metabolites between wild and cultivated ginseng were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and spectrophotometric methods.

Results

Our results showed that the contents of 14 types of amino acids were higher in wild ginseng compared with cultivated ginseng. The amino acid metabolism-related enzymes and their derivatives, such as glutamate decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine, all had high levels of accumulation in wild ginseng. The accumulation of sulfur amino acid synthesis-related proteins, such as methionine synthase, was also higher in wild ginseng. In addition, glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle-related enzymes as well as their intermediates had high levels of accumulation in wild ginseng.

Conclusion

This study elucidates the differences in amino acids between wild and cultivated ginseng. These results will provide a reference for further studies on the medicinal functions of wild ginseng.

Chemical differentiation and quality evaluation of commercial Asian and American ginsengs based on a UHPLC-QTOF/MS/MS metabolomics approach

INTRODUCTION

Asian and American ginsengs are widely used medicinal materials and are being used more and more in health products. The two materials look alike but function differently. Various forms of both types of ginseng are found in the market, causing confusion for consumers in their choice.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the overall quality of commercial Asian and American ginsengs and investigate the characteristic chemical markers for differentiating between them.

METHODS

This article investigated 17 Asian and 21 American ginseng samples using an ultra-HPLC combined with quadrupole time-of-flight MS/MS technique. The data were processed by principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squared discriminant analysis.

RESULTS

In the chromatograms, a total of 40 peaks were detected. Among them, six were positively identified, and all of the remainder were tentatively identified. According to statistical results, ginsenosides Rf, Rb2 and Rc together with their isomers and derivatives were more likely to be present in Asian ginsengs, whereas ginsenoside Rb1 , pseudoginsenoside F11 and ginsenoside Rd together with their isomers and derivatives tended to be present in American ginsengs. For Asian ginsengs, ginsenoside Ra3 and 20-β-D-glucopyranosyl-ginsenoside-Rf were more likely to be present in forest samples, whereas contents of floralquinquenoside B, ginsenosides Ro and Rc, and zingibroside R1 were higher in sun-dried ginsengs. For American ginseng, wild samples often had more of the notoginsenosides R1 and Rw2 and less of the ginsenosides Rd, Rd isomer and 20 (S)-Rg3 than cultivated samples.

CONCLUSION

The method provided important fingerprint information for authentication and evaluation of Asian and American ginsengs from various commercial products.

Notoginsenoside R1 reduces blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats through a long non-coding RNA AK094457

Notoginsenoside R1 (NR1) is the main bioactive component in panaxnotoginseng, an old herb medicine widely used in Asian countries in the treatment of microcirculatory diseases. However, little is known about the effect of NR1 on antihypertension and the underlying mechanisms are still not clear. This study is aim to investigate the effect and elicit the mechanism of NR1 in antihypertension. Firstly, to assess the ability of NR1 in antihypertension, NR1 was injected in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) via the vena caudalis. Then we examined the rats systolic blood pressure and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activation in rats thoracoabdominal aortic. To further investigate the molecular mechanism of NR1 reduce blood pressure, primary SHR and WYK rat vascular endothelial cells (RVECs) were used for next study. LncRNAs related to hypertension were gained from bioinformatics analysis. The role of LncRNAs was finally characterized in RVECs by siRNA. Our results showed that NR1 significantly reduce blood pressure in SHR and induce nitric oxide (NO) generation through increasing the phosphorylation of iNOS. Through bioinformatics analysis and knockdown LncRNA AK094457 in RVECs, we also found LncRNA AK094457 promoted iNOS expression and NO concentration. Thus, we conclude that NR1 reduces the caudal blood pressure of SHR through induction of iNOS regulated by long non-coding RNA AK094457. These findings may have important implications for understanding the mechanisms of NR1 regulation blood pressure.

Rapid preparation of rare ginsenosides by acid transformation and their structure-activity relationships against cancer cells

The anticancer activities of ginsenosides are widely reported. The structure-activity relationship of ginsenosides against cancer is not well elucidated because of the unavailability of these compounds. In this work, we developed a transformation method to rapidly produce rare dehydroxylated ginsenosides by acid treatment. The optimized temperature, time course, and concentration of formic acid were 120°C, 4 h and 0.01%, respectively. From 100 mg of Rh1, 8.3 mg of Rk3 and 18.7 mg of Rh4 can be produced by acid transformation. Similarly, from 100 mg of Rg3, 7.4 mg of Rk1 and 15.1 mg of Rg5 can be produced. From 100 mg of Rh2, 8.3 mg of Rk2 and 12.7 mg of Rh3 can be generated. Next, the structure-activity relationships of 23 ginsenosides were investigated by comparing their cytotoxic effects on six human cancer cells, including HCT-116, HepG2, MCF-7, Hela, PANC-1, and A549. The results showed that: (1) the cytotoxic effect of ginsenosides is inversely related to the sugar numbers; (2) sugar linkages rank as C-3 > C-6 > C-20; (3) the protopanaxadiol-type has higher activities; (4) having the double bond at the terminal C20-21 exhibits stronger activity than that at C20-22; and (5) 20(S)-ginsenosides show stronger effects than their 20(R)-stereoisomers.

An integrated high resolution mass spectrometric data acquisition method for rapid screening of saponins in Panax notoginseng (Sanqi)

The aim of this study was to develop a convenient method without pretreatments for nontarget discovery of interested compounds. The segment and exposure strategy, coupled with two mass spectrometer data acquisition methods was firstly proposed for screening the saponins in extract of Panax notoginseng (Sanqi) via high-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF/MS). By gradually removing certain major or moderate interference compounds, the developed segment and exposure strategy could significantly improve the detection efficiency for trace compounds. Moreover, the newly developed five-point screening approach based on a modified mass defect filter strategy and the visual isotopic ion technique was verified to be efficient and reliable in picking out the interested precursor ions. In total, 234 ginsenosides including 67 potential new ones were characterized or tentatively identified from the extract of Sanqi. Particularly, some unusual compounds containing the branched glycosyl group or new substituted acyl groups were firstly reported. The proposed integrated strategy held a strong promise for analyses of the complex mixtures.

Protopanaxadiol, an active ginseng metabolite, significantly enhances the effects of fluorouracil on colon cancer

In this study, we evaluated the effects of protopanaxadiol (PPD), a gut microbiome induced ginseng metabolite, in increasing the anticancer effects of a chemotherapeutic agent fluorouracil (5-FU) on colorectal cancer. An in vitro HCT-116 colorectal cancer cell proliferation test was conducted to observe the effects of PPD, 5-FU and their co-administration and the related mechanisms of action. Then, an in vivo xenografted athymic mouse model was used to confirm the in vitro data. Our results showed that the human gut microbiome converted ginsenoside compound K to PPD as a metabolite. PPD and 5-FU significantly inhibited HCT-116 cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner (both p < 0.01), and the effects of 5-FU were very significantly enhanced by combined treatment with PPD (p < 0.01). Cell cycle evaluation demonstrated that 5-FU markedly induced the cancer cell S phase arrest, while PPD increased arrest in G1 phase. Compared to the control, 5-FU and PPD increased apoptosis, and their co-administration significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells (p < 0.01). Using bioluminescence imaging, in vivo data revealed that 5-FU significantly reduced the tumor growth up to Day 20 (p < 0.05). PPD and 5-FU co-administration very significantly reduced the tumor size in a dose-related manner (p < 0.01 compared to the 5-FU alone). The quantification of the tumor size and weight changes for 43 days supported the in vivo imaging data. Our results demonstrated that the co-administration of PPD and 5-FU significantly inhibited the tumor growth, indicating that PPD significantly enhanced the anticancer action of 5-FU, a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent. PPD may have a clinical value in 5-FU’s cancer therapeutics.

American ginseng significantly reduced the progression of high-fat-diet-enhanced colon carcinogenesis in Apc (Min/+) mice

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Chronic gut inflammation is recognized as a risk factor for tumor development, including CRC. American ginseng is a very commonly used ginseng species in the West.

METHODS

A genetically engineered Apc (Min/+) mouse model was used in this study. We analyzed the saponin composition of American ginseng used in this project, and evaluated its effects on the progression of high-fat-diet-enhanced CRC carcinogenesis.

RESULTS

After oral ginseng administration (10-20 mg/kg/d for up to 32 wk), experimental data showed that, compared with the untreated mice, ginseng very significantly reduced tumor initiation and progression in both the small intestine (including the proximal end, middle end, and distal end) and the colon (all p < 0.01). This tumor number reduction was more obvious in those mice treated with a low dose of ginseng. The tumor multiplicity data were supported by body weight changes and gut tissue histology examinations. In addition, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that compared with the untreated group, ginseng very significantly reduced the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in both the small intestine and the colon (all p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Further studies are needed to link our observed effects to the actions of the gut microbiome in converting the parent ginsenosides to bioactive ginseng metabolites. Our data suggest that American ginseng may have potential value in CRC chemoprevention.

Simultaneous determination of aconite alkaloids and ginsenosides using online solid phase extraction hyphenated with polarity switching ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

Simultaneous determination of ten aconite alkaloids and thirteen ginsenosides using online solid phase extraction hyphenated with polarity switching ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

Localization of ginsenosides in the rhizome and root of Panax ginseng by laser microdissection and liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time of flight-mass spectrometry

The root and rhizome of Panax ginseng C.A. Mey, known as ginseng, is a commonly used medicinal plant. Ginsenosides are the major active components responsible for the tonic effects of this herb. Here, the combination of laser microdissection and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole/time of flight-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) was applied to investigate the localization of ginsenosides in root and rhizome of P. ginseng. Five kinds of tissue cells were separated from the rhizome, main root and branch root of ginseng. Fifty-nine ginsenosides were identified and the results showed that the cork contained more kinds of ginsenosides than did the cortex, phloem, xylem and resin canals. It is interesting that the phloem, xylem and resin canals from branch root contained a greater number of ginsenosides than did from main root. This study provides solid evidence on the accumulation of ginsenosides in cork, cortex, phloem and xylem.

Influence of Panax ginseng on the offspring of adult rats exposed to prenatal stress

The exposure of pregnant females to stress during a critical period of fetal brain development is an environmental risk factor for the development of schizophrenia in adult offspring. Schizophrenia is a group of common mental disorders of unclear origin, affecting approximately 1% of the global population, showing a generally young age at onset. In the present study, a repeated variable stress paradigm was applied to pregnant rats during the final week of gestation. The effects of an extract of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (PG) on rats exposed to prenatal stress (PNS) were investigated in terms of behavioral activity and protein expression analyses. In the behavioral tests, grooming behavior in a social interaction test, line-crossing behavior in an open-field test and swimming activity in a forced-swim test were decreased in the rats exposed to PNS compared with the non-stressed offspring; the changes in behavioral activity were reversed upon oral treatment with PG (300 mg/kg). Subsequently, western blot analysis and immunohistochemical analyses of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus revealed that the downregulation of several neurodevelopmental genes which occurred following exposure to PNS was reversed upon treatment with PG. The current findings demonstrate that the downregulation of several genes following exposure to PNS may affect subsequent behavioral changes, and that these phenomena are reversed following treatment with PG during pregnancy. Our results suggest that oral treatment with PG reduces the incidence of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia.

Effects of American ginseng on pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil in rats

The pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in combination with or without American ginseng (seven-consecutive days oral dose) in rats were evaluated using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Chromatographic separation was performed on a reverse LC column within a total run time of 6.5 min, which allowed for a relatively quick analysis. The limit of quantification for 5-FU was 15 ng/mL and this method was linear over 15-50,000 ng/mL. This method supported stabilizing determination of the plasma concentration of 5-FU over a period of 24 h. Precision both interday and intraday (coefficient of variation) was within 14% and accuracy (relative error) ranged from -5 to 14%. In view of the observed pharmacokinetic parameters, including maximum concentration, time to maximum concentration, area under the concentration-time curve (AUC), mean residence time, elimination half-life and clearance, our results showed no significant differences in all of the pharmacokinetic parameters between the ginseng co-treated group and 5-FU alone group. Some increase in AUC was observed in 5-FU plus ginseng group; however, the difference did not reach statistical significance compared with 5-FU alone. It appeared that American ginseng administration did not significantly alter the kinetics of 5-FU. More studies are still needed to confirm our results.