Helicase-dependent amplification is effective in distinguishing Asian ginseng from American ginseng

This study describes for the first time the application of helicase-dependent amplification (HDA) to authenticate botanical species and processed products. Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) are consumed worldwide as functional food and health remedies. The two herbs share similar morphological appearance but have different pharmacological effects. In this work, a novel isothermal amplification mediated DNA method was applied to authenticate the two ginseng species. Internal control and P. ginseng specific primers were designed based on the ribosomal external transcribed spacer (ETS) region. The amplification results were confirmed by real-time monitoring, gel electrophoresis and DNA sequencing. The screened retail samples included dried ginseng root, ginseng powder, ginseng tea granules as well as a four-herb formulation. Our HDA protocol worked well on both purified DNA and crude water extract. In conclusion, HDA is a highly sensitive and specific approach for differentiating Asian ginseng from American ginseng and it has the potential for on-site authentication of herbal products.     

基于变异系数法评价不同干燥方式人参的品质差异

目的 探究不同干燥方式对人参活性成分及感官品质的影响。方法 将洗净后的人参切片(厚度3 mm)采用真空冷冻干燥、自然晒干、30℃热风干燥、55℃热风干燥、自然阴干5种不同干燥方式制得人参饮片,测定人参片的色泽、复水比、体积收缩率、总皂苷含量、总黄酮含量、总糖含量、浸出物含量、二苯苦味酰肼(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,DPPH)自由基清除率,应用扫描电电子显微镜技术(scanning electron microscope,SEM)对其内部结构进行分析。结果 变异系数法赋权综合评分表明,冻干的人参品质最优(综合评分为1.3247),阴干人参品质最差(综合评分为-0.7130)。扫描电镜图表明冻干的人参其内部细胞结构更完整,其他干燥方式均存在不同程度的塌陷和细胞破损。综合比较,从外观性状、药效成分含量及加工等方面综合考虑,冻干的人参质地酥脆,外观片型优美,且活性成分含量较高;若考虑成本问题且药材加工量大,需缩短干燥加工时间,可以采用55℃的热风干燥;阴干和晒干均干燥时间长且品质不如冻干和热风干燥。结论 该研究为人参片的加工及其品质评价提供了一定的理论依据。     

Biotransformation of ginsenoside Rd in the ginseng extraction residue by fermentation with lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum)

Ginseng and lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) both are valuable traditional Chinese medicines and have been extensively utilised in functional foods and traditional medicines in many Asian countries. However, massive quantity of ginseng residue is produced after extraction of ginseng which still contains a lot of bioactive compounds such as ginsenosides. The goal of this study was to reuse the American ginseng extraction residue as the fermentation medium of G. lucidum to produce bioactive ginsenoside enriched biotransformation products. The changes of ginsenosides in the fermentation products were analysed during fermentation. Our results showed that after 30 days of fermentation, ginsenoside Rg1, Rd, and compound K (CK) significantly increased, especially Rd, while other ginsenosides (Re, Rb1 and Rc) decreased during fermentation. Ginsenoside Rd is the major ginsenoside in the final fermentation product. Furthermore, the biotransformation of ginsenosides was the major reaction in this fermentation process.     

A convenience UPLC/PDA method for the quantitative analysis of panaxfuraynes A and B from Panax ginseng

Panaxfurayne A and B, biologically novel tetrahydrofuranic polyacetylene glycosides, were founded from roots of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (Araliaceae). To study the contents of panaxfurynes A and B, a quantitative analysis method was developed using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with photo diode array detector. The dried (65 °C, 72 h) and powdered sample (5 g) was extracted with ethanol (15%, 100 ml) for 30 min at 50 °C and concentrate. The constituents were separated using an isocratic mobile phase consisting acetonitrile (16%) in water for 10 min on a ODS column. The contents of panaxfuraynes A and B in the roots of Panax quinquefolium, Panax japonicum, Panax notoginseng and P. ginseng were found to less than 3 and 2 ng/g approximately, respectively. The constituents were not detected from P. japonicum.     

Determination of the strontium isotope ratio by ICP-MS ginseng as a tracer of regional origin

This study presents the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as a method for tracing the regional origin of ginseng. The results of the analysis of 15 Korean ginsengs from three different regions and of 15 Chinese ginsengs from three different regions reveal that the Sr isotope ratios ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of the ginsengs differed according to their origin. For pretreatment, the ginseng samples were dried, and were dissolved through microwave digestion, then were each made to amount to 6 ml with 11.9 M HCl. Rb was then separated from Sr to enable an interference-free measurement through cation exchange chromatography. Six millilitres of the ginseng sample were injected in the column, and 60 ml of 11.9 M HCl was passed through the column at a 1 ml min⁻¹ flow rate to separate Rb from Sr. After Rb was eluted completely, 60 ml of 5.0 M HCl was passed at a 1 ml min⁻¹ flow rate to collect Sr. In the Sr collection step, the first 10 ml portion of 30 ml eluate was discarded, and the next 10 ml portion was taken and was diluted with de-ionized water at a ratio of 1:3, for analysis purposes. The results of the analysis of 30 ginseng samples revealed that the Chinese ginsengs have an ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio range of 0.672–0.701, and the Korean ginsengs 0.705–0.714. The Korean ginsengs, therefore, have a higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio range than the Chinese ginsengs. Of the Korean ginsengs, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio range of ginsengs from Punggi, Geumsan and Hongcheon are about 0.706–0.709, 0.705–0.706, and 0.710–0.714, respectively.     

人参及其伪品北沙参、桔梗和峨参的红外“指纹”特征

本文采用红外光法直接测定人参及其伪品北沙参、桔梗和峨参的红外光谱图。结果表明:人参的真伪品都具有较明显的“指纹”特征。尽管中药材为一复杂的混合物体系,正品人参与伪品人参的化学组成又较为相似,但由于它的来源的不同,生长环境的不同,都会导致谱图的差异,根据红外光谱的这些特征“指纹”,可达到分类鉴别的目的。该方法快速,方便,不丧失原本性。     

大豆分离蛋白基参菌薄片生产工艺及其品质研究

目的：基于大豆分离蛋白、木耳、榛蘑、元蘑、滑子蘑和人参等原料加工制成大豆分离蛋白基参菌薄片(Soy protein isolate based ginseng mushroom thin slice, SPGMTS)食品。方法：采用单因素及响应面试验法优化大豆分离蛋白基参菌薄片生产工艺,并对其品质、理化特性进行检测。结果：参菌粉粒度 210 目、人参粉用量 3.1%、涂膜厚度 0.80 mm和海藻酸钠用量 8.41%的情况下,SPGMTS的食品感官评分最高达 94.7 分。理化特性分析发现SPGMTS中蛋白质、脂肪和灰分含量分别为39.14 g/100g、3.98 g/100g和5.84 g/100g。此外,SPGMTS中包含异亮氨酸、亮氨酸、赖氨酸、蛋氨酸、苯丙氨酸、酪氨酸、苏氨酸、缬氨酸、精氨酸、组氨酸、丙氨酸、天冬氨酸、谷氨酸、甘氨酸、脯氨酸和丝氨酸。SPGMTS中人参皂苷Rb1、人参皂苷Re+Rg1和人参总皂苷含量分别为0.25 g/100、038 g/100和0.88 g/100。结论：影响大豆分离蛋白基参菌薄片在食品中感官评分的因素由大到小依次是参菌粉粒度、人参粉加入量、涂膜厚度、海藻酸钠加入量。本产品食用方便,吸收方便,营养丰富,清肺清肠,市场前景看好。     

雪山营养八宝粥研制

选用传统八宝粥原料中的糯米、赤小豆、花生、薏苡仁,配以西藏高原特产——人参果、南美藜、青稞等主要原料,研究了不同原料配比、料水比以及原料预处理、杀菌等工艺条件,研制出色、香、味、营养俱佳的雪山八宝粥。     

Extraction of ginsenosides from a blend of wheat flour and ginseng powder

This study explored conditions for maximum extraction of ginsenosides (G) from a blend of wheat flour (WF) and ginseng powder (GP). WF (0.9 g), GP (0.1 g), or WF–GP (0.9 g WF + 0.1 g GP) was mixed with distilled water (4.5, 0.5, or 5.0 ml, respectively) and heated at temperatures from 25 to 90 °C. Individual G (Rb1, Rc, and Rd) were fractionated and identified by RP-HPLC. Interactions between WF components and G, including interactions between the wheat starch fraction (SF) and G and between the gluten fraction (GF) and G, were observed in WF–GP heated at 90 °C. The degree of interactions between the SF and G was greater than that between the GF and G. The interactions between WF components and G decreased the amounts of G extractable from the heated WF–GP. The interactions between WF components and G could be disrupted by increasing ultrasonic extraction time to 90 min for maximum extraction.