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Review
. 2022 Aug 1:13:972813.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.972813. eCollection 2022.

A review for discovering bioactive minor saponins and biotransformative metabolites in Panax quinquefolius L

Zhiyou Yang  1   2 , Jiahang Deng  1 , Mingxin Liu  3 , Chuantong He  1 , Xinyue Feng  1 , Shucheng Liu  1   2 , Shuai Wei  1   2
Affiliations
Review

A review for discovering bioactive minor saponins and biotransformative metabolites in Panax quinquefolius L

Zhiyou Yang et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Panax quinquefolius L. has attracted extensive attention worldwide because of its prominent pharmacological properties on type 2 diabetes, cancers, central nervous system, and cardiovascular diseases. Ginsenosides are active phytochemicals of P. quinquefolius, which can be classified as propanaxdiol (PPD)-type, propanaxtriol (PPT)-type, oleanane-type, and ocotillol-type oligo-glycosides depending on the skeleton of aglycone. Recently, advanced analytical and isolated methods including ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem with mass detector, preparative high-performance liquid chromatography, and high speed counter-current chromatography have been used to isolate and identify minor components in P. quinquefolius, which accelerates the clarification of the material basis. However, the poor bioavailability and undetermined bio-metabolism of most saponins have greatly hindered both the development of medicines and the identification of their real active constituents. Thus, it is essential to consider the bio-metabolism of constituents before and after absorption. In this review, we described the structures of minor ginsenosides in P. quinquefolius, including naturally occurring protype compounds and their in vivo metabolites. The preclinical and clinical pharmacological studies of the ginsenosides in the past few years were also summarized. The review will promote the reacquaint of minor saponins on the growing appreciation of their biological role in P. quinquefolius.

Keywords: Panax quinquefolius; metabolites; minor ginsenosides; pharmacological effects; structural diversity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Geographical distribution of P. quinquefolius based on GMPGIS. The map was plotted using online ArcGIS (ESRI, Redland, CA, United States. URL: http://www.learngis2.maps.arcgis.com/). Flags showing cultivated or wild resources of P. quinquefolius.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Ginsenosides characterized from P. quinquefolius. PPD, Protopanaxadiol; PPT, protopanaxatriol; G, ginsenoside; Q, quinquenoside.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Schematic illustration of biotransformation of major PPD-type ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, and Rc into minor ginsenosides.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Schematic illustration of biotransformation of major PPT-type ginsenosides Re, Rf, and Rg1 into minor ginsenosides.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
The oxygenated metabolites involved in in vivo biotransformation pathways of ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Biological and pharmacological activities of P. quinquefolius and its derived ginsenosides.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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