Anti-tumor activity and related mechanism study of Bacillus Polymyxa transformed Panax ginseng C. A. Mey

Comparative evaluation of fermented ginseng on alleviating antibiotic-associated diarrhea in mice

Antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD) was a common side effect of antibiotics, and fermented ginseng exhibited potential in treating AAD. In this study, the effects of fermented red, white, and black ginseng on AAD were investigated, with a focus on intestinal flora and inflammation. Clindamycin was used to induce AAD in mice, which caused severe diarrhea and weight loss. However, treatment with fermented ginseng effectively alleviated diarrhea, and reduced inflammation in colonic serosal tissue, thereby mitigating antibiotic-induced intestinal tissue damage. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that clindamycin disrupted the Bacteroides/Firmicutes ratio (P < 0.001), which was reversed by fermented ginseng treatment. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokines like IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α significantly decreased (P < 0.05) after clindamycin treatment but returned to normal levels following fermented ginseng treatment. In conclusion, fermented red, white, or black ginseng (at a dosage of 0.5 g/kg) exhibited efficacy against AAD in mice, reinstating gut flora balance and easing inflammation.

Enhancement of biotransformation of ginsenosides in white ginseng roots by aerobic co-cultivation of Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma reesei

In the present work, the biotransformation of ginsenosides in white ginseng roots was innovatively investigated using the aerobic fermentation by the co-cultivation of Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma reesei. It is found that in the co-cultivation mode, the optimal nitrogen source was corn steep liquor, and the loading of ginseng powder and inoculation proportion of B. subtilis and T. reesei were 15 g/L and 1:4, respectively. The total ginsenoside yield and production of minor ginsenosides in the co-cultivation mode obviously enhanced in comparison to the monoculture mode. Meanwhile, the maximal total ginsenoside yield of 21.79% and high hydrolase activities were achieved using the staged inoculation at the inoculation proportion of 1:4 in the co-cultivation mode, the production of minor ginsenosides such as Rg3 and Rh1, Rh2 was significantly strengthened, and the pharmacological activities of the fermented solution obviously improved. The enhancement of ginsenoside transformation can be mainly attributed to hydrolysis of the produced hydrolases and metabolism of two probiotics. This result clearly reveals that using the staged inoculation in co-cultivation fermentation mode was favor of the ginsenoside biotransformation in ginseng due to non-synchronous cell growth and different metabolic pathways of both probiotics. This work can provide a novel method for enhancing ginsenoside transformation of ginseng.Key points• Co-cultivation fermentation significantly promoted ginsenoside biotransformation.• The staged inoculation in co-culture mode was an optimal operation method.• The pharmacological activity of the co-cultured solution was significantly enhanced.

Endophytes, biotransforming microorganisms, and engineering microbial factories for triterpenoid saponins production

Triterpenoid saponins are structurally diverse secondary metabolites. They are the main active ingredient of many medicinal plants and have a wide range of pharmacological effects. Traditional production of triterpenoid saponins, directly extracted from cultivated plants, cannot meet the rapidly growing demand of pharmaceutical industry. Microorganisms with triterpenoid saponins production ability (especially Agrobacterium genus) and biotransformation ability, such as fungal species in Armillaria and Aspergillus genera and bacterial species in Bacillus and Intestinal microflora, represent a valuable source of active metabolites. With the development of synthetic biology, engineering microorganisms acquired more potential in terms of triterpenoid saponins production. This review focusses on potential mechanisms and the high yield strategies of microorganisms with inherent production or biotransformation ability of triterpenoid saponins. Advances in the engineering of microorganisms, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Yarrowia lipolytica, and Escherichia coli, for the biosynthesis triterpenoid saponins de novo have also been reported. Strategies to increase the yield of triterpenoid saponins in engineering microorganisms are summarized following four aspects, that is, introduction of high efficient gene, optimization of enzyme activity, enhancement of metabolic flux to target compounds, and optimization of fermentation conditions. Furthermore, the challenges and future directions for improving the yield of triterpenoid saponins biosynthesis in engineering microorganisms are discussed.

Effect of extract from ginseng rust rot on the inhibition of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of major leading causes of cancer death worldwide. As a traditional medicine, the anti-cancer function of ginseng is being growingly recognized and investigated. However, the effect of ginseng rust rot on human HCC is unknown yet. In this study, the HCC cells were treated with different parts of mountain cultivated ginseng rust rot and compared with human normal liver cells. The morphology, survival rate and β-actin expression of the cells were changed by introducing the ginseng epidermis during the incubation process. Notably, the results reveal that the ginseng epidermis can induce apoptosis by altering the morphologies of cells, indicating the practical implication for the HCC treatment and drug development.

Effect of four trace elements on Paenibacillus polymyxa Pp-7250 proliferation, activity and colonization in ginseng

Trace elements are essential nutrients for the growth of microorganisms and play an important role in their proliferation. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to explore the optimal C and N sources for large-scale culture of Paenibacillus polymyxa, and to screen trace elements that can promote their proliferation and improve the activity. First, the concentration of Paenibacillus polymyxa Pp-7250, the number of spores were used as evaluation index. It was found that the four trace elements Cu2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+ could promote the proliferation of Paenibacillus polymyxa at their optimal concentrations. Next, when using wheat starch as carbon source and soybean meal as nitrogen source, it was most suitable for large-scale culture. Finally, field experiments were carried out, and it was discovered that the combination of four trace elements plus the wheat soybean meal group could significantly improve the disease prevention, growth promotion ability of Pp-7250 and its colonization in ginseng. Moreover, the ability of Pp-7250 to transform ginseng roots and leaf saponins were also significantly improved. The group also affected the rhizosphere bacterial community of ginseng and the number showed a significant promotion or inhibition.