Ginsenosides in Panax genus and their biosynthesis

Abstract

Ginsenosides are a series of glycosylated triterpenoids which belong to protopanaxadiol (PPD)-, protopanaxatriol (PPT)-, ocotillol (OCT)- and oleanane (OA)-type saponins known as active compounds of Panax genus. They are accumulated in plant roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. The content and composition of ginsenosides are varied in different ginseng species, and in different parts of a certain plant. In this review, we summarized the representative saponins structures, their distributions and the contents in nearly 20 Panax species, and updated the biosynthetic pathways of ginsenosides focusing on enzymes responsible for structural diversified ginsenoside biosynthesis. We also emphasized the transcription factors in ginsenoside biosynthesis and non-coding RNAs in the growth of Panax genus plants, and highlighted the current three major biotechnological applications for ginsenosides production. This review covered advances in the past four decades, providing more clues for chemical discrimination and assessment on certain ginseng plants, new perspectives for rational evaluation and utilization of ginseng resource, and potential strategies for production of specific ginsenosides.

Exogenous Putrescine Enhances Salt Tolerance and Ginsenosides Content in Korean Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) Sprouts

“…The prime secondary metabolites of ginseng are under the group triterpene saponins, collectively known as ginsenosides [ 26 ]. Ginsenosides can be divided into dammarane and oleanane type saponins according to their skeletons [ 27 , 28 ]. The dammarane-type ginsenosides divided into two groups: protopanaxadiol (PPD) and protopanaxatriol (PPT) [ 29 ] that are produced to meet the demand of growth and defense purposes [ 16 , 30 ].…”

Anti-viral triterpenes: a review

“…3 which essentially starts via the mevalonic acid or 2-C-methyl- d -erythritol-4-phosphate (non-mevalonate) pathway to synthesize inositol pyrophosphate (IPP), the primary C-5 unit, which is further converted to GPP (C-10), FPP (C-15), GGPP (C-20) and 2,3-oxidosqualene, a C-30 carbon skeleton (Xu et al 2004 ; Hunter 2007 ; Vranová et al 2013 ; Wang et al 2021 ). It is now well documented that oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) act on 2,3-oxidosqualene to catalyze protosteryl and dammarenyl cation mediated pathways (Xue et al 2012 ; Hou et al 2021 ). The first pathway mediated through protosteryl cation intermediate leads to the genesis of tetracyclic cycloartenol, lanosterol, and cucrbitadienol, while the second intermediate dammarenyl cation generates both tetracyclic (dammarane) and pentacyclic (lupane, oleanane, and ursane) class of triterpenes.…”

“…The first pathway mediated through protosteryl cation intermediate leads to the genesis of tetracyclic cycloartenol, lanosterol, and cucrbitadienol, while the second intermediate dammarenyl cation generates both tetracyclic (dammarane) and pentacyclic (lupane, oleanane, and ursane) class of triterpenes. These transformations are mediated via chair/boat/chair and chair/chair/chair conformation, respectively (Xu et al 2004 , 2012 ; Thimmappa et al 2014 ; Hu et al 2020a ; Hou et al 2021 ).…”

Natural products in suppressing glioma progression: A focus on the role of microRNAs

“…Ginsenoside Rd is a Dammarane‐type ginsenoside found in plants of the Panax genus, with several medical implications (Hou, Wang, Zhao, & Wang, 2021). The antitumor effects of this compound have been verified in various cancers, including gastric cancer (Tian et al, 2020), colorectal cancer (Phi et al, 2019), breast cancer (Wang et al, 2016; Zhang, Shi, Yang, Wu, & Wang, 2017), and glioma (Gu, Wang, Song, Wang, & Wu, 2019).…”