An Integrated Biochemical, Proteomics, and Metabolomics Approach for Supporting Medicinal Value of Panax ginseng Fruits (GC-MS assay)

Panax ginseng roots are well known for their medicinal properties and have been used in Korean and Chinese traditional medicines for 1000s of years. However, the medicinal value of P. ginseng fruits remain poorly characterized. Using gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF MS), 66 metabolites including amino acids, sugars, organic acids, phenolic acids, phytosterols, tocopherols, and policosanols were identified and quantified. Some of these are well known medicinal compounds and were not previously identified in ginseng. Interestingly, the concentration of almost all metabolites was higher in the Chunpoong and Gumpoong cultivars. Parallel comparison of the four cultivars also revealed higher amounts of the medicinal metabolites in Chunpoong and Gumpoong cultivars. Taken together, our results demonstrate that ginseng fruits are a rich source of medicinal compounds with potential beneficial health effects.

人参（Panax ginseng）根部以其药用功效著称，在中韩传统医药中已有数千年的应用历史。然而，人参果实的药用价值至今仍未得到充分阐释。本研究采用气相色谱-飞行时间质谱（gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry, GC-TOF MS）技术，共鉴定并定量了66种代谢物，涵盖氨基酸、糖类、有机酸、酚酸、植物甾醇、生育酚及聚蜡醇等类别。其中部分为已知药用成分，且此前从未在人参中被发现。值得注意的是，Chunpoong与Gumpoong两个栽培品种的几乎所有代谢物浓度均显著更高。对四个栽培品种的平行对照分析同样显示，Chunpoong与Gumpoong品种的药用代谢物含量更为丰富。综上，本研究结果表明，人参果实富含药用成分，具备潜在的健康获益功效。