Why the study?
To explore how the steaming process affects the saponin composition and neuroprotective activity of American ginseng.
Does steamed American ginseng total saponins improve neuroprotection and cognitive function in AlCl3-induced zebrafish models?
Does steamed American ginseng total saponins improve neuroprotection and cognitive function in AlCl3-induced zebrafish models?
Steamed American ginseng total saponins, particularly AGTS5, demonstrate significant neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing effects in zebrafish models of AlCl3-induced injury.
Steamed ginseng saponins may confer neuroprotection in zebrafish models; leaves open human translation pending clinical validation.
American ginseng ( Panax quinquefolius L.) exhibits multiple pharmacological properties, including anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. In 2023, it was officially approved as a dual‐purpose substance for both medicinal and food applications, establishing it as a scientifically validated ingredient for functional foods and health supplements. We extracted total saponins (AGTS0‐AGTS9) from American ginseng subjected to different steaming‐drying cycles to explore how the steaming process affects saponin composition and neuroprotective activity. Using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐Q‐Orbitrap/MS) technology, 35 types of ginsenosides were identified from AGTS0‐AGTS9. With increasing steaming cycles, the original ginsenoside content decreased, while the rare ginsenoside content gradually increased. During steaming, ginsenosides undergo deglycosylation, hydrolysis, and acetylation, transforming into rare ginsenosides. We employed two models–neuronal injury in transgenic zebrafish larvae and cognitive impairment in wild‐type AB adults, both induced by AlCl 3 –to assess the neuroprotective effects of AGTS0‐AGTS9 and the memory‐enhancing potential of AGTS5, respectively. Results showed that AGTS4, AGTS5, and AGTS6 markedly increased the neuronal fluorescence area and intensity in larvae, reduced acetylcholinesterase (AChE), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) levels in larval tissues, while elevating acetylcholine (ACh), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px), and catalase (CAT) activities. AGTS5 exhibited the most potent neuroprotective activity. In adult zebrafish, AGTS5 significantly improved locomotor performance in the Novel Tank Test (NTT) and T‐maze, increased Nissl body counts in the brain, reduced AChE activity and MDA/TNF‐α/IL‐6 levels, and enhanced ACh, SOD, GSH‐Px, and CAT content. These findings demonstrate that AGTS5 holds promise as a functional food or nutritional supplement for neuroprotection and cognitive enhancement.
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Yang et al. (2025) studied this question.
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