Metabolite profiling of ginsenosides in rat plasma, urine and feces by LC–MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of Panax ginseng extract

Abstract

Panax ginseng is widely consumed as a functional food in the form of tea, powder, capsules, among others, and possesses a range of pharmacological activities including adaptogenic, immune-modulatory, anti-tumor, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify the major ginsenosides and their metabolites in rat plasma, urine and feces after administration of P. ginseng extract using LC-MS/MS. We collected rat plasma samples at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48h, and the amounts of urine and fecal samples accumulated in 24h. Fourteen major ginsenosides and their metabolites were observed in fecal samples at high levels; however, low levels of 11 ginsenosides were detected in urine samples. The pharmacokinetics of the major ginsenosides and their metabolites was investigated in plasma.The results indicated that the maximum plasma concentration, time to maximum concentration and area under the curve of compound K were significantly greater than those of other ginsenosides. This study thus provides valuable information for drug development and clinical application of P. ginseng.

Ginsenoside Compound K: Insights into Recent Studies on Pharmacokinetics and Health-Promoting Activities

“…The study for the first time documented the comprehensive pharmacokinetics of ginsenosides and their metabolites following oral intake of P. ginseng. Earlier studies documented the pharmacokinetic properties of several individual ginsenosides only [ 20 ].…”

Brown adipose tissue activation with ginsenoside compound K ameliorates polycystic ovary syndrome

“…However, due to the complex biochemical constitution of P. ginseng , the pharmacological mechanism of its action in PCOS treatment remains unclear. Ginsenoside compound K (CK), a final intestinal metabolite of ginsenoside from P. ginseng (Dong et al, 2018), might be the active compound of P. ginseng for endocrine homeostasis regulation. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of CK in the treatment of PCOS and investigate its mechanism action.…”

Metabolic profile analysis of Zhi-zi-chi decoction in feces of normal and chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression rats based on UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS and multiple analytical strategies

“…7,[21][22][23][24] In view of the interference of a great variety of compounds and microorganisms in feces of a living organism, it is difficult to study the analytes of interest. [25][26][27] For avoiding the metabolism of the microorganisms present in the rat feces samples from affecting the composition of the sample under study, multiple analytical strategies were adopted in this study. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has become an efficient tool for acquiring the structural information of chemical substances in biological samples due to its high separation ability and high resolution.…”