MAIN GINSENG SAPONIN METABOLITES FORMED BY INTESTINAL BACTERIA

Ginseng saponin metabolites produced by human intestinal bacteria and the urinary and blood compounds after oral administration of Ginseng e xtract and its saponins in human and specific pathogen-free rats were examined in order to elucidate their metabolites absorbed from the int estines, The main metabolites of ginsenosides Rb-1, Rb-2, Rc, Re, and Rg(1) after anaerobic incubation with fecal flora were identified as 2 0-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-20(S)-protopanaxadiol (I) 20-O-[alpha-L-arab inopyranosyl (1 --> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-20(S)-protopanaxadiol (I I), 20-O-[alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl(1 --> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-20( S)-protopanaxadiol (III), and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol (IV), though the metabolic rate and mode were affected by fermentation media, Furthermo re, metabolites I-IV and 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (XII) were detected in blood (0.3-5.1 mu g/ml) and in urine (2.2-96 mu g/day) after the oral administration of Ginseng extract (150 mg/kg/day)to human and of total saponin (1 g/kg/day) to rats.