Ginsenoside Rc: A potential intervention agent for metabolic syndrome

Chemopreventive and Anticancer Activity of Selected Triterpenoids in Melanoma

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer, characterized by high metastatic potential and resistance to conventional therapies. Natural compounds, particularly terpenoids, have gained attention for their chemopreventive potential and anticancer properties. These plant-derived compounds exhibit diverse biological activities, e.g., cell viability and proliferation inhibition, apoptosis induction, cell cycle regulation, and immune system modulation. The review evaluates the current state of the art on the chemopreventive and anticancer activity of lupane- (betulinic acid), oleanane- (oleanolic acid, β-amyrin, escin, hederagenin, glycyrrhetinic acid), and ursane-type (ursolic acid, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, α-amyrin) triterpenoids in melanoma, highlighting their mechanisms of action, therapeutic potential, and challenges in clinical application.

Lipid-based nano-carriers for the delivery of anti-obesity natural compounds: advances in targeted delivery and precision therapeutics

Obesity is a major global health challenge, contributing to metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension. The increasing prevalence of obesity, driven by sedentary lifestyles, poor dietary habits, and genetic predisposition, underscores the urgent need for effective therapeutic strategies. Conventional pharmacological treatments, including appetite suppressants and metabolic modulators, often fail to provide sustainable weight loss due to side effects, poor adherence, and limited long-term efficacy. As a result, natural bioactive compounds have gained attention for their anti-obesity potential. However, their clinical application is hindered by poor bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and inefficient delivery. Lipid-based nano-carriers, including liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanostructured lipid carriers, offer a promising solution by enhancing the solubility, stability, and targeted delivery of these compounds. These advanced delivery systems improve bioactive retention, enable controlled release, and enhance therapeutic action on adipose tissue and metabolic pathways. Additionally, functionalized and stimulus-responsive nanocarriers present innovative approaches for precision obesity treatment. Despite these advancements, challenges remain in large-scale production, regulatory approval, and long-term safety. Overcoming these barriers is critical to ensuring the successful clinical translation of nano-formulated therapies. This review explores the potential of lipid-based nano-carriers in optimizing the therapeutic efficacy of natural anti-obesity compounds and highlights their role in advancing next-generation obesity management strategies.

Functional characterization and protein engineering of glycosyltransferase for 2"-O-xylosylation of ginsenoside Rg3

The limited abundance of xylosylated ginsenosides and the lack of efficient biocatalysts hinder their pharmacological exploration. This study identified a 2"-O-xylosyltransferase (PnUGT57) from Panax notoginseng that catalyzes the conversion of ginsenoside Rg3 to notoginsenoside ST4. Wild-type PnUGT57 preferred UDP-xylose over UDP-glucose and UDP-rhamnose and displayed limited thermostability (t1/2 = 6.73 h at 30 °C). To enhance UDP-xylose specificity, sequence-guided mutagenesis generated the C140A variant, which achieved remarkable UDP-xylose specificity (100 % conversion) with a 1.34-fold increase in catalytic efficiency while showing weak activity toward UDP-glucose (8.7 %) and UDP-rhamnose (5.2 %) activity. The F367A mutant possesses only xylosyltransferase activity but with reduced catalytic efficiency (0.3-fold of the WT). Molecular docking revealed that the enhanced UDP-xylose specificity in C140A and F367A resulted from the loss of key hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. To improve thermostability, computational design produced a triple mutant (P101S/L200C/G255D) with an 8.58-fold longer half-life (57.76 h), attributed to optimized surface charge distribution and improved hydration layer formation, as confirmed by molecular dynamics simulation. The combinatorial mutant C140A/P101S/L200C/G255D synergistically improved UDP-xylose specificity, thermostability, and catalytic efficiency, enabling efficient ST4 biosynthesis. This study elucidates the catalytic mechanism of PnUGT57 and presents engineered variants as promising biocatalysts for sustainable ginsenoside production.

Effect of Ginseng Supplementation on Exercise Endurance as a Support for Cardiovascular Disease Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Ginseng has multi-directional pharmacological properties. Some data suggest that ginseng can enhance physical endurance, which, in turn, leads to protection of the cardiovascular system. However, not all experiments are conclusive. For this reason, the main aim of this research was to perform a meta-analysis and review of studies published between the years 2013 and 2023 concerning the ginseng effect on physical performance in animal and human models. Medline, Pubmed, and ClinicalKey electronic databases were used to analyze data. The search strategy included the following criteria: ginseng and exercise; ginseng supplementation; and ginseng supplements. The results suggest that ginseng supplementation may have a positive effect on CK levels in animal studies. Similar observations were stated in relation to serum lactate and BUN. Furthermore, a human study showed a significant increase in exercise time to exhaustion and VO2 max after supplementation. The review of the literature and conducted meta-analysis identified that ginseng supplementation may have a positive effect on exercise endurance. Due to the fact that most of the current studies were based on animal models, further research on human models is needed to identify the most effective dosage or form of applied ginseng to be a supportive element in CVD management.

Desorption Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry Imaging-Based Spatial Metabolomics for Visualizing and Comparing Ginsenosides and Lipids among Multiple Parts and Positions of the Panax ginseng Root

Ginsenosides and lipids are both bioactive ingredients for ginseng. Targeting these two categories of components, this study was designed to develop desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry imaging approaches and spatial metabolomics strategies, achieving the visualization and differentiation among different parts of Panax ginseng root (e.g., rhizome, main root, lateral root, fibrous root, and adventitious root). Potential chemical markers were identified by searching an in-house ginsenoside library and online Lipid Maps database, together with high-resolution MS2 data analysis. Six ginsenosides and 11 lipids were diagnostic to differentiate five different parts of the P. ginseng root. Additionally, three ginsenosides and 20 lipids were identified as differential markers among the six positions of the main root of P. ginseng. High-abundance malonyl- and oleanolic acid-ginsenosides were observed in the rhizome. These results assist in understanding the accumulation of bioactive molecules all through the root of P. ginseng, which can benefit its quality control and rational use.

Online Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography/Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolic Profiling and Comparison Enabling the Characterization of 1146 Ginsenosides and More Explicit Differentiation of Ginseng

This work was designed for the in-depth characterization and holistic comparison of up to 12 ginseng varieties, which can benefit the development of functional foods and ensure their authenticity in the food industry. An online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (2D-LC/QTOF-MS) approach was established by configurating the XCharge C18 and HSS Cyano columns. Under the optimal conditions, we characterized a total of 1146 ginsenosides (including 876 potentially new compounds) from 12 ginseng varieties by reference to an in-house library of 573 known ginsenosides and 70 reference compounds. The online 2D-LC/QTOF-MS-based untargeted metabolomics workflows were developed, by which 126 potential ginsenoside markers were unveiled and utilized to establish the key identification points for each ginseng species. Compared with the conventional liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry metabolomics, our multidimensional chromatography approach performed better in discriminating multiple ginseng varieties. This work demonstrates a potent and practical methodology to identify easily confused functional plants.

Application of microorganisms in Panax ginseng: cultivation of plants, and biotransformation and bioactivity of key component ginsenosides

Panax ginseng is a precious Chinese medicinal plant with a long growth cycle and high medicinal value. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore effective ways to increase its yield and main active substance content to reduce the cost of ginseng, which is widely used in food and clinical applications. Here, we review the key roles of microorganisms in the biological control of ginseng diseases, enhancement of ginseng yield, biotransformation of ginsenosides, and augmentation of ginsenoside bioactivity. The application of microorganisms in P. ginseng faces multiple challenges, including the need for further exploration of efficient microbial strain resources used in the cultivation of ginseng and biotransformation of ginsenosides, lack of microbial application in large-scale field cultivation of ginseng, and unclear mechanism of microbial transformation of ginsenosides. This review provides a deeper understanding of the applications of microorganisms in P. ginseng.