ИСТИНА

The pharmacological properties of old Chinese medicine (Ginseng) are generally attributed to its triterpene glycosides, called ginsenosides. More than 600 ginsenosides have been isolated from Panax species. One of the main goals of the ginseng researches was the differentiation of the ginsenosides patterns between the different traditional processing of P. ginseng roots such as white and red ginseng and different Panax species. Objective: This study was aimed to propose new methods for fast ginsenoside profiling and identification in challenging matrices such as roots, extracts and food products. Methods: Ultra-sound assistant extraction was performed in order to achieve good recovery of the ginsenosides. Analysis of extracts was carried out using a reversed-phase chromatography with SB-C18 sorbent. For compounds identification, electrospray ionization and quadrupole/linear ion trap mass-spectrometer (ESI-LITMS) in different modes were used. Results: Several binary combinations of methanol, acetonitrile, ethanol and water were evaluated for use as the extraction mixture in order to achieve maximal efficiency. Methanol:water (1:4) mixture was chosen. The absence of ginsenosides Rg3 and Rh2 decomposition products of added ginsenosides Rb1 and Rc was shown. Observed recovery was between 79 and 107%. The study of ginsenoside fragmentation in the linear ion trap was made. Several samples of fresh and dry Panax ginseng roots and processed products were undergone the extraction process followed by HPLC/ESI-LITMS analysis in order to investigate the number and elucidate structure of ginsenosides present. The chromatographic run took 45 min. Saponin profiles of several root and processed products extracts were compared. The inter-day precision was performed on 3 different days. Intra-day RSD values (N=3) were about 3% while inter-day RSD were on the level of 3-4%. Good linearity was observed in a range 0.01—5 µg/mL. Conclusion: As a result of this study HPLC/ESI-LITMS method was developed. This method can be easily applicable for quality control purposes of marketed products and allows the rapid and direct identification of ginsenosides in crude plant extracts.