Ginsenoside Rg12, a new dammarane-type triterpene saponin from Panax ginseng root

BACKGROUND: Panax ginseng has been used as Korean medicine for various diseases. It has antioxidant, hypotensive, sedative, analgesic, and endocrine activities. Dammarane-type triterpenes from the plant have various beneficial effects. METHODS: A dammarane-type triterpene saponin was isolated from P. ginseng root through chromatography such as repeated column chromatography and medium pressure liquid chromatography. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: New dammarane-type triterpene saponin was isolated for the first time from nature. The structure was elucidated as ginsenoside Rg12 (1) based on spectral data. There may be good materials from P. ginseng for the development of industrial applications such as nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical purposes.