Significant difference in active metabolite levels of ginseng in humans consuming Asian or Western diet: The link with enteric microbiota

Abstract

After ginseng ingestion, the bioavailability of its parent compounds is low and enteric microbiota plays an important role in parent compound biotransformation to their metabolites. Diet type can influence the enteric microbiota profile. When human subjects on different diets ingest ginseng, their gut microbiota's different profile may influence the metabolism of ginseng parent compounds. In this study, the effects of different diet type on gut microbiota metabolism of American ginseng saponins were investigated. We recruited six healthy adults who regularly consume different diet type. These subjects received 7 days oral American ginseng, and their biological samples were collected for LC-Q-TOF-MS analysis. We observed significant ginsenoside Rb1 (a major parent compound) and compound K (a major active metabolite) level differences in the samples from the subjects consuming different diet. Subjects on Asian diet have much higher Rb1 levels but much lower compound K levels compared to those on Western diet. Since compound K possesses much better cancer chemoprevention potential, our data suggested that consumers on Western diet should obtain better cancer prevention effects with American ginseng intake compared to those on Asian diet. Ginseng compound levels could be enhanced or reduced via gut microbiota manipulation for clinical utility.

Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius : From pharmacology to toxicology

“…Gao et al, 2017;Guan et al, 2017;Dong et al, 2017;He et al, 2017 Rg2 4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-2,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16, 4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-2,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16,17dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-6-yl]oxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol Prevention of sleep deprivation-induced cognitive impairment in mice by reducing oxidative stress in cortex and hippocampus; reduction of oxidative stress-induced damage in rat primary astrocytes through the upregulation of MAPK and Nrf2/ARE signaling; osteoblast differentiation, osteogenic stimulation and antioxidant effect in mouse proteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells via the BMP-2/Runx2 signaling pathways. Lu et al, 2017;Jung et al, 2016;Siddiqi et al, 2014 Rb1 plasma levels vis-a-vis with a significant increase in compound K plasma levels compared to those eating an Asian diet (Wan et al, 2017). On the other hand, ginsenoside Rb1 and compound K fecal levels resulted much higher in individuals consuming a Western diet than an Asian diet.…”

“…On the other hand, ginsenoside Rb1 and compound K fecal levels resulted much higher in individuals consuming a Western diet than an Asian diet. These findings suggest both an increased conversion of ginsenoside Rb1 into compound K in Western-diet subjects with a longer duration of ginseng-microbiota interaction in the colon without compound absorption (Wan et al, 2017). As the Asian diet is based on various vegetables and rice, whereas the Western diet is rich in fats and animal proteins, it is likely that these differences are responsible for the alteration of enteric microbiota population affecting ginseng metabolism and absorption (Genton et al, 2015;Janssen and Kersten, 2015;Moco et al, 2012;Simpson and Campbell, 2015;Wan et al, 2017).…”

“…Interestingly, Wan et al (2017) reported the influence of Asian or Western diets on compound K and ginsenoside Rb1 formation and absorption in six healthy male volunteers, supplemented with P. quinquefolius powder (2 g/day per os for 7 days). Individuals eating a Western diet showed a marked decrease in ginsenoside 3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16,17dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-yl]oxy] oxan-3-yl]oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol Inhibition of inflammation or apoptosis in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, respectively, by the upregulation of GPR120; inhibition of UVB-induced production of ROS in human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes; prevention of lethal infection by HVJ in mice; lowering of cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels in 3T3-L1 adipocytes; enhancement of fibrinolytic activity in bovine aortic endothelial cells.…”

Food and Sex-Related Impacts on the Pharmacokinetics of a Single-Dose of Ginsenoside Compound K in Healthy Subjects

“…Research on the pharmacokinetics of CK is particularly limited, with the existing clinical studies (Lee et al, 2009 ; Jin et al, 2012 ; Kim, 2013 ; Kim et al, 2013 ; Wan et al, 2017 ) having been performed on ginseng extracts rather than the monomer CK. These studies differ from the present trial, for the generation of CK from extracts in vivo involves biotransformation.…”

Biomedical Chromatography 2019

“…A link between diet and the extent of metabolism by microbacteria in the gut was presented by Jin‐Yi Wan, Chong‐Zhi Wang and co‐workers at the University of Chicago (Wan et al, ). In this experiment the metabolites produced from ginseng were found to be significantly altered when taken by people on a Asian diet when compared with those consuming a Western diet.…”