Production of ginsenoside F1 using commercial enzyme Cellulase KN

• Published in: Journal of ginseng research Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 121 - 126
• Main Authors: Wang, Yu, Choi, Kang-Duk, Yu, Hongshan, Jin, Fengxie, Im, Wan-Taek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: biotransformation; ginsenoside F1; mass production; ginsenoside; Cellulase KN
• ISSN: 1226-8453; 2093-4947

Background: Ginsenoside F1, a pharmaceutical component of ginseng, is known to have antiaging, antioxidant, anticancer, and keratinocyte protective effects. However, the usage of ginsenoside F1 is restricted owing to the small amount found in Korean ginseng. Methods: To enhance the production of ginsenoside F1 as a 10 g unit with high specificity, yield, and purity, an enzymatic bioconversion method was developed to adopt the commercial enzyme Cellulase KN from Aspergillus niger with food grade, which has ginsenoside-transforming ability. The proposed optimum reaction conditions of Cellulase KN were pH 5.0 and $50^{\circ}C$. Results: Cellulase KN could effectively transform the ginsenosides Re and Rg1 into F1. A scaled-up biotransformation reaction was performed in a 10 L jar fermenter at pH 5.0 and $50^{\circ}C$ for 48 h with protopanaxatriol-type ginsenoside mixture (at a concentration of 10 mg/mL) from ginseng roots. Finally, 13.0 g of F1 was produced from 50 g of protopanaxatriol-type ginsenoside mixture with $91.5{\pm}1.1%$ chromatographic purity. Conclusion: The results suggest that this enzymatic method could be exploited usefully for the preparation of ginsenoside F1 to be used in cosmetic, functional food, and pharmaceutical industries.