Panax quinquefolius (PQ)은 미국 지역에서 주로 재배하는 삼이며, 피로 회복과 면역 증진, 혈압 및 콜레스테롤 조절에 효능이 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. 이러한 효과들을 나타내는 것은 인삼의 특유한 사포닌(saponin) 성분인 진세노사이드(ginsenoside)에 기인하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 식품의 가공방법 중의 하나인 팽화는 압력과 온도를 가하여 식품 중에 존재하는 녹말의 호화, 단백질의 변성 및 조직화, 저장 중 지질의 산화에 의한 변패 등을 유발시키는 효소의 불활성화, 수분이 제거 및 다공성 구조를 야기한다. 따라서 본 실험의 목적은 팽화 압력에 따른 PQ의 추출수율, 조사포닌 함량 및 항산화능의 변화를 분석하여 한국인삼(Panax ginseng, PG)과의 차이점을 구명하는 것이다. 시료는 건조된 미국산과 캐나다산 PQ를 쌀과 배합하여 사용하였다. PQ를 686, 784, 882, 980kPa로 팽화한 후 70% 발효 주정으로 추출하였다. 추출액을 농축하여 증류수에 녹인 후, 이들의 추출수율, 조사포닌 함량 및 항산화능의 변화를 분석하였다. 팽화압력과 상관없이 팽화 캐나다삼이 팽화 미국삼보다 부피와 크기가 컸다. 두 인삼 모두 압력 조건이 높아질수록 갈변화가 더 진행되었으며, 784kPa부터 표면이 바스러지고 882kPa부터 내부와 분리되는 현상이 발생하였다. 팽화 전 캐나다삼의 추출수율과 조사포닌, DPPH 라디칼 소거능 모두 미국삼보다 높은 값을 나타내었다. 팽화 후 두 인삼 모두 control에 비하여 추출수율, 조사포닌, DPPH 라디칼 소거능이 증가하였다. 추출수율과 조사포닌의 함량의 경우, 캐나다삼은 압력에 따라 증가하였고, 미국삼은 감소하다 증가하는 경향을 나타내었다. 추출수율은 팽화 전후 압력에 상관없이 미국삼보다 캐나다삼이 높았으며, 조사포닌 및 DPPH 라디칼 소거능의 경우 특정한 경향을 나타내지 않았다. 본 실험에 사용한 팽화 미국삼 및 캐나다삼은 팽화 한국삼보다 추출수율과 항산화능은 낮지만, 조사포닌의 함량이 높았다. 따라서 팽화로 인한 미국삼 및 캐나다삼 조사포닌 함량 증가가 팽화 한국삼보다 더 크게 유의적으로 증가하여 이들을 활용한 다양한 제품들의 개발이 가능하고 국제시장에서 이들이 중요한 역할을 할 것으로 기대된다.

Background : Panax ginseng the king of Oriental medicines, has enormous potential against many of the disease symptoms and ailments. Panax quinquefolius is an another important member of Panax family which has similar benefits and medicinal properties. Both the species contains ginsenosides a pharmacologically active component abundant in their roots. In an effort to establish the new ginseng cultivars with improved agronomical characters such as root shape, stress tolerant and higher ginsenoside contents, the reciprocal interspecific hybrids were generated Methods and Results : Four elite cultivars and two new lines of ginseng were chosen to produce interspecies reciprocal hybrids with P. quinquefolius, by pollen dusting on the emasculated flowers. Among the F1 populations, the reciprocal hybrids generated by using new line 0837 both as maternal and paternal parent showed better properties and hybrid vigor. They showed strong root phenotypes with many lateral and fine roots thus having 10% to 20% higher ginsenoside contents compared to the parental populations. Among the major ginsenosides, the pharmacologically active ginsenosides such as Re, Rb1, Rb2 and F1 were enriched and accounted for the 70% of the PPD ginsenosides in 0837/Pq and Pq/0837 crosses, displaying strong dominance. Conclusion : Thus, based on our result we could conclude that P. ginseng line 0837 is the superior variety compared to the already existing lines for performing the interspecific hybrids with promising outcome in their root quality and ginsenoside content.

Background : Endophytes are generally regarded as beneficial microorganisms that live in plant tissues without disease symptoms. The endophytic species may differ depending on the plant age, the sampled time, the plant genotype, and the tissue. Although numerous endophytes have been identified from various plants, little is known about the endophytic bacteria of Panax quinquefolius, a useful herb plant. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate diversity and distribution of endophytic bacteria from 2-years-old to 6-years-old P. quinquefolius and to evaluate antimicrobial activity of isolates. Methods and Results : Initially, 2-years-old to 6-years-old plants were collected and sterilized with 70% ethanol and sodium hypochlorite, subsequently we prepared individual suspensions which were mixed with sample and sterile distilled water. A total of 88 single colonies were obtained from the LB agar plates spreading suspension. Using 16S rDNA sequencing, the taxonomic status of the isolates were determined consequently 42 species were identified. The 42 species were classified into 4 phylum; Proteobacteria (64%), Firmicute (27%), Actinobacteria (8%), and Bacteroidetes (1%). Based on age, the isolates of 5-years-old plant showed highest diversity. Moreover, Actinomycetales, Bacillales, and Pseudomonadales were equally dispersed as predominant orders in 5-years-old plant. The antagonistic activities of isolates against a phytopathogen, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 : GFP (Pst : GFP) were performed using dual culture assays. We measured antibacterial activity by quantifying fluorescence of Pst:GFP which representing pathogen growth. As a result, 36 isolates inhibited growth of Pst:GFP. Interestingly, all species belonging Pseudomonas in this study showed strong antibacterial activity against Pst : GFP. Conclusion : These results improve our understanding of the structure and diversity of the endophytic bacteria of P. quinquefolius. Furthermore, we suggest that bacterial endophytes with antimicrobial activity might have useful as materials for biocontrol agents.

Background : Both Panax ginseng Meyer and Panax quinquefolius are obligate shade-loving plants whose natural habitats are broadleaved forests of Eastern Asia and North America. Panax species are easily damaged by photoinhibition when they are exposed to high temperatures or insufficient shade. In this study, a cytohistological study of the leaf structures of two of the most well-known Panax species was performed to better understand the physiological processes that limit photosynthesis. Leaves of ginseng plants grown in soil and hydroponic culture were sectioned for analysis. Methods and Results : Leaf structures of both Panax species were observed using a light microscope, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope. The mesostructure of both P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius frequently had one layer of noncylindrical palisade cells and three or four layers of spongy parenchymal cells. P. quinquefolius contained a similar number of stomata in the abaxial leaf surface but more tightly appressed enlarged grana stacks than P. ginseng. The adaxial surface of the epidermis in P. quinquefolius showed cuticle ridges with a pattern similar to that of P. ginseng. Conclusion : The anatomical leaf structure of both P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius shows that they are typical shade-loving sciophytes. Slight differences in chloroplast structure suggests that the two different species can be authenticated using transmission electron microscopy images, and light-resistant cultivar breeding can be performed via controlling photosynthesis efficiency.