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Biomass and content of ginsenosides and polyacetylenes in American ginseng roots can be increased without affecting the profile of bioactive compounds

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Abstract

Fifty selected roots from a 7-year-old American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium L.) plant population grown in Denmark, with root weights varying from 191 to 490 g fresh weight (FW), were investigated for bioactive ginsenosides and polyacetylenes (PAs) in order to determine the correlation between the content of ginsenosides and PAs and root FW. PAs (falcarinol, panaxydol) and ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, Rd, Re, Rg1) were extracted from roots by sequential extraction with ethyl acetate and 80% methanol, respectively, and quantified in extracts by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using photodiode array detection. Total concentrations of PAs and ginsenosides varied between 150 and 780 mg/kg FW and 5,920 and 15,660 mg/kg FW, respectively. No correlation existed between the content of ginsenosides and PAs and root FW or between the total concentration of ginsenosides and PAs. Strong significant correlation was found between total content of ginsenosides and ginsenoside Rb1 (r = 0.8190, P < 0.0001) and between total content of PAs and falcarinol (r = 0.9904, P < 0.0001). Based on the results of this study, it was concluded that it is possible to select large American ginseng roots for increased biomass production and concentration of bioactive ginsenosides and PAs without affecting the profile of bioactive compounds. Ginsenoside Rb1 and falcarinol were found to be important selection parameters for identifying superior genotypes with the highest content of bioactive compounds.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the excellent technical assistance of Kim Vitten. The support of the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Fyn Region, and Development Centre Aarslev is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Environmental Technology, University of Southern Denmark, Niels Bohrs Allé 1, 5230, Odense M, Denmark

    Lars P. Christensen

  2. Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus, Research Centre Aarslev, Kirstinebjergvej 10, 5792, Aarslev, Denmark

    Martin Jensen

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Correspondence to Lars P. Christensen.

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Christensen, L.P., Jensen, M. Biomass and content of ginsenosides and polyacetylenes in American ginseng roots can be increased without affecting the profile of bioactive compounds. J Nat Med 63, 159–168 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-008-0307-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-008-0307-3

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