A short-term, hydroponic-culture of ginseng results in a significant increase in the anti-oxidative activity and bioactive components

Ji Yun Lee; Hee Yang; Tae Kyung Lee; Chang Hyung Lee; Ji Won Seo; Jong-Eun Kim; Seo Yeong Kim; Jung Han Yoon Park; Ki Won Lee

doi:10.1007/s10068-020-00735-5

A short-term, hydroponic-culture of ginseng results in a significant increase in the anti-oxidative activity and bioactive components

Food Sci Biotechnol. 2020 Mar 7;29(7):1007-1012. doi: 10.1007/s10068-020-00735-5. eCollection 2020 Jul.

Authors

Ji Yun Lee¹, Hee Yang^{1

2}, Tae Kyung Lee¹, Chang Hyung Lee¹, Ji Won Seo¹, Jong-Eun Kim³, Seo Yeong Kim², Jung Han Yoon Park^{1

2}, Ki Won Lee^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea.
² Advanced Institutes of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, 16229 Republic of Korea.
³ Department of Food Science and Technology, Korea National University of Transportation, Jeungpyeong, 27909 Republic of Korea.

Abstract

Panax ginseng CA Meyer has a variety of biological effects, including antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. Ginseng requires long-term cultivation, but this can be shortened using hydroponic systems to facilitate the commercial development of ginseng as a functional food. However, the characteristics of short-term-cultured (< 30 days) hydroponic ginseng (sHCG) are unclear. We investigated the characteristics of 21-day-cultured sHCG compared 5-year-old normally cultured ginseng. The free radical-scavenging activity and total ginsenoside and phenolic contents were significantly higher in sHCG than in normally cultured ginseng. Fifteen ginsenosides were detected in sHCG, and the concentrations of most were higher in shoots than roots. These findings suggest that 21-day-cultured sHCG, due to its enhanced antioxidant activity and higher concentrations of total phenolics and ginsenosides (including Rd and Re), has potential as a functional food.

Keywords: Ginseng; Ginsenosides; Hydroponic cultivation; Panax ginseng CA Meyer; Phenolic compounds.