Preparation of Ginseng Extract with Enhanced Levels of Ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 Using High Hydrostatic Pressure and Polysaccharide Hydrolases

BACKGROUND: Ginsenosides are the principal components responsible for the pharmacological activities of ginseng. Ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 are the major compounds recognized as marker substances for quality control of ginseng-based products. These major compounds can be transformed to several pharmacologically active minor ginsenosides by chemical, microbial, and enzymatic means. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, a combination of polysaccharide hydrolases and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) were used to extract ginseng saponins enriched with ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1. Temperature, pH, time, ginseng-to-water ratio, and pressure were optimized to obtain the maximum amount of Rg1 and Rb1 in the resulting extract using commercial polysaccharide hydrolases. RESULTS: This study showed that treatment with a combination of cellulase, amylase, and pectinase at 100 MPa pressure, pH 4.8, and 45°C for 12 h resulted in higher Rg1 and Rb1 levels in the extract. CONCLUSION: This study describes a cheap and ecofriendly method for preparing ginseng extract enriched with Rg1 and Rb1. SUMMARY: Ginsenosides are the principal bioactive components present in ginseng. Ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 are the most abundant compounds in ginseng. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and Polysaccharide hydrolases (PH) were combined to extract ginseng saponins enriched with Rg1 and Rb1. Extraction conditions were optimized to obtain the maximum amount of Rg1 and Rb1. Extraction with a combination of cellulase, amylase, and pectinase at 100 MPa pressure at pH 4.8, and 45°C for 12 h resulted in higher levels of Rg1 and Rb1 in the ginseng extract. Abbreviations used: ATCC: American Type Culture Collection, Mpa: Mega Pascal