Analysis of Ginseng Saponins

To permit chemical evaluation of Ginseng or preparations of Ginseng sold for medicinal or health food purposes, methods for separative analysis of the major Ginseng saponins have been investigated. 

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For highly selective analysis of Ginseng saponins on an ultramicro scale, Sankawa et al. developed a radioimmunoassay for Rg using a Rg -serum albumin conjugate (75). 

Sanada, S., J. Shoji, and S. Shibata Quantitative Analysis of Ginseng Saponins. Yakugaku Zhassi 98, 1048 (1978). 

Takino, Y., Odani, T., Tanizawa, H., and Hayashi, T. (1982). Studies on the absorption, distribution, excretion and metabolism of ginseng saponins. I. Quantitative analysis of ginsenoside Rgi in rats. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 30, 2196-2201. 

Yamaguchi, H., Kasai, R., Matsuura, H., Tanaka 0., and Fuwa, T., High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of acidic saponins of ginseng and related plants. Chem. Pharm. Bull., 36, 3468 (1988). 

Takino, Y., T. Odani, H. Tanizawa, and T. Hayashi Studies on the Absorption, Distribution, Excretion and Metabolism of Ginseng Saponins. I. Quantitative Analysis of Ginsenoside Rgi in Rats. Chem. Pharm. Bull. (Japan) 30, 2196 (1982). 

Unsaturated and hydroxylated triterpenes and steroids give colored products with aromatic aldehydes in strong mineral acids, with acetic anhydride in sulfuric acid, and with inorganic salts (cerium(IV) sulfate and antimony(III) chloride, for example) in an acidic solution. These reactions have been used as the basis for determination of saponins. The analysis of Ginseng radix (Panax ginseng, Araliaceae) in Pharmacopoeia Helvetica VII, for example, relies on reaction with glacial acetic acid/sulfuric acid and spectrophotometric determination at 520 nm of the red product. The jS-aescine component of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum, Hippocastan-aceae) saponin can be determined spectrophoto-metrically after treatment with a mixture of iron(III) chloride, acetic acid, and sulfuric acid. 

Samukawa, K., Yamashita, H., Matsuda, H., and Kubo, M. (1995). Simultaneous analysis of saponins in ginseng radix by high performance liquid chromatography. Chem. Pharm. Bull 43, 137-141. 

Kaku ArzneimittebForsch, 25, 539 (1975), Effect on brain biogenic amines V. Petkov, ibid. 28, 388 (1978). TLC analysis of saponin content of commercial ginseng products L E. Liberty A. D. Marderosian, J. Pharm. ScL 67, 1487 (1978). Use in orieutal medicine as tonic K. Chimin Wong Wu Lien-teh, History of Chinese Medicine (Shanghai, 2nd ed. 1936) 906 pp. Comprehensive review of morphology, cultivation and uses Baranov, Econ. Bot, 20, 403-406... 

Sakamoto et al reported developed condition suitable for hydrolysis of the saponins so as to permit their quantitative analysis as (1) and (35) 18). The 20-epimeric mixtures of (1) and (35) produced in this fashion were determined by GLC in the form of their TMSi ethers 18), by preparative TLC followed by colorimetry (55, 59, 60, 61) and by TLC densitometry in the form of their naphthoates 62). This procedure is still useful for analysis of complex Ginseng prescriptions where direct TLC or HLC separation cannot be employed without preliminary purification. 

Sakamoto, L, K. Morimoto, and O. Tanaka Quantitative Analysis of Dammarane Type Saponins of Ginseng and its Application to the Evaluation of the Commercial Ginseng Tea and Ginseng Extracts. Yakugaku Zasshi 95, 1456 (1975). 

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