METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY PRODUCING GINSENOSIDE F2, COMPOUND Mc OR COMPOUND O FROM SAPONINS OF GINSENG BY ENZYMATIC PROCESS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for selectively producing ginsenoside F2, compound Mc or compound O, which is originally present in ginseng in a trace amount, from a saponin of ginseng, and more specifically to a method capable of obtaining desired target compounds, that is, ginsenoside F2, compound Mc and compound O, in high yields, by treating saponins, obtained from ginseng, with particular enzymes to structurally convert the saponins.

Claims

1. A method for selectively producing ginsenoside F2 (chemical formula 1), compound Mc (chemical formula 2) or compound O (chemical formula 3) by converting saponins of ginseng using at least one selected from the group consisting of pectinase and beta-glucanase isolated from a microorganism of the genus Aspergillus, ##STR00003##

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the steps of: 1) dissolving saponins of ginseng as a substrate in an aqueous solvent or a mixed solution of an aqueous solvent and an organic solvent, adding thereto at least one enzyme selected from the group consisting of pectinase and beta-glucanase isolated from the microorganism of the genus Aspergillus, and performing the reaction with stirring in a heated water bath; 2) inactivating the enzyme when the substrate is completely disappeared, thereby completing the reaction; and 3) adding ethyl acetate to the reaction solution, followed by extraction and concentration, thereby isolating ginsenoside F2, compound Mc, or compound O.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the saponin of ginseng which is the substrate is at least one selected from the group consisting of ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, R, and a mixture thereof.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the microorganism of the genus Aspergillus is selected from the group consisting of Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus aculeatus, Aspergillus luchuensis and Aspergillus oryzae.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the enzyme is added in an amount of 10 to 400% by weight based on the amount of the substrate.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the enzyme is reacted at a temperature of 35 to 60 C.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the enzyme is reacted for 24 to 96 hours.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the solvent has a pH in the range of 3 to 6.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 shows the results of confirming ginsenoside F2, compound Mc and compound O produced after the conversion reaction of ginseng saponin though silica gel column chromatography.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The present invention relates to a method for selectively producing ginsenoside F2 (chemical formula 1), compound Mc (chemical formula 2) or compound O (chemical formula 3) by converting saponins of ginseng, particularly a panaxadiol-type saponin, by an enzymatic method. Specifically, through the selective removal of sugar, ginsenoside Rb1 can be converted into ginsenoside F2, ginsenoside Rc can be converted into compound Mc, and ginsenoside Rb2 can be converted into compound O, thereby selectively producing the desired ginseng saponins.

##STR00002##

[0015] According to the method of the present invention, the conversion from saponins of ginseng to a desired ginseng saponin can be efficiently carried out by using enzymes derived from microorganisms, thereby obtaining ginsenoside F2, compound Mc and compound O in high yield.

[0016] Specifically, the enzyme used in the present invention is desirably obtained from at least one microorganism selected from the group consisting of the microorganisms belonging to the genus Aspergillus, particularly Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus aculeatus, Aspergillus luchuensis and Aspergillus oryzae, and those obtained from Aspergillus aculeatus are most preferred.

[0017] In addition, the enzyme used in the present invention may be lactase, cellulase, beta-galactosidase, naringinase, hemicellulase, beta-glucanase, pectinase, or a mixture thereof, isolated from a microorganism of the genus Aspergillus, and pectinase, beta-glucanase, or a mixture thereof are preferred.

[0018] Even the same type of enzyme that performs mostly the same function, the site where the enzyme functions specifically in the substrate varies depending on the species of the microorganism from which the enzyme is derived, resulting in a difference in substrate specificity. Therefore, in the present invention, it is most desirable to use at least one selected from the group consisting of pectinase and beta-glucanase obtained from Aspergillus aculeatus.

[0019] In the present invention, saponin of ginseng is dissolved in a solvent in an amount of 0.01 to 20% by weight, and then the saponin is converted into the desired ginseng saponin by an enzymatic method using the above-mentioned enzymes. The solvents used here are preferably those that do not inhibit the activity of enzymes, for example, an aqueous solvent such as water or a buffer solution, or a mixture of an aqueous solvent and an organic solvent such as water or a buffer solution can be used. Specifically, the buffer solution used here may be acetic acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid-phosphoric acid, or the like, and the organic solvent may be acetonitrile, dioxane, dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, or the like. The pH range of the solvent that can be used is preferably 2.5 to 7.5, more preferably 3 to 6, still more preferably 3.5 to 5.5.

[0020] In the method of the present invention, the enzyme to be used is added in an amount of preferably 1 to 500% by weight, more preferably 10 to 400% by weight, still more preferably 10 to 200% by weight, based on the amount of the substrate used.

[0021] The reaction temperature must be a temperature condition under which no enzyme inactivation occur, but the temperature is maintained in the range of preferably 30 to 60 C., more preferably 35 to 60 C., still more preferably 40 to 55 C.

[0022] Furthermore, the reaction time is not particularly limited as long as it is a period during which the activity of the enzyme is maintained, but it is desirable to perform the reaction while stirring for 1 to 120 hours, preferably 1 to 96 hours, more preferably 24 to 96 hours, still more preferably 24 to 72 hours.

[0023] Subsequently, a reaction solution containing a large amount of ginsenoside F2, compound Mc and compound O can be obtained by inactivating the enzyme using a known method such as heating in a boiling water bath.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail by way of Examples. However, these Examples are given for illustrative purposes only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto.

[Reference Example 1] Production of Ginseng Purified Saponin

[0025] 20 l of ethanol was added to 2 kg of red ginseng, white ginseng, fresh ginseng, tiny-sized ginseng or leaves, flowers and fruits of ginseng, and extracted three times under reflux and then immersed at 15 C. for 6 days. Thereafter, the residue and the filtrate were isolated through filter cloth-filtration and centrifugation, and the isolated filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure. The extract obtained was suspended in water, and then extracted five times with 1 l of ether to remove a pigment. The aqueous layer was extracted three times with 1 l of 1-butanol. The total 1-butanol layer thus obtained was treated with 5% KOH, washed with distilled water and then concentrated under reduced pressure to obtain 1-butanol extract, which was dissolved in a small amount of methanol, and then added to a large amount of ethyl acetate. The resulting precipitate was dried to thereby obtain 40 to 80 g of ginseng purified saponin (including ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rg1, Rf, etc.).

[Example 1] Production of Ginsenoside F2, Compound Mc and Compound O Through Enzymatic Reaction

[0026] 10 g of ginseng purified saponin (including ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rg1, Rf, etc.) of the Reference Example 1 was dissolved in 1 l of water.

[0027] Thereafter, pectinase isolated from Aspergillus aculeatus was added to the above mixed solution in an amount of 200% by weight relative to the substrate, and the mixture was reacted at 30 C. for 24 hours. When the substrate was completely disappeared by periodic confirmation by thin layer chromatography, the enzyme was inactivated by heating in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, thereby completing the reaction. Finally, ethyl acetate was added to the reaction solution at a ratio of 1:1 (ratio of volume to the reaction solution), extracted three times, concentrated and then subjected to silica gel column chromatography (chloroform:methanol=9:1) to isolate ginsenoside F2, compound Mc and compound O (FIG. 1).

[0028] 2.66 g of ginsenoside Rb1, 0.73 g of ginsenoside Rb2, 1.23 g of ginsenoside Rc and 0.38 g of ginsenoside Rd were present in 10 g of the ginseng saponin of Reference example 1 used. Ginsenoside F2 was converted from ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside Rd in a yield of 95% or more, compound Mc was converted from ginsenoside Rc in a yield of 95% or more, compound O was converted from ginsenoside Rb2 in a yield of 95% or more.