Cytotoxicity of the white ginseng extract and red ginseng extract treated with partially purified β-glucosidase from Aspergillus usamii KCTC 6954

Red ginseng extract (RGE) and white ginseng extract (WGE) were treated with partially purified β-glucosidase to increase a production of minor ginsenosides. The enzyme produced from Aspergillus usamii KCTC 6954 was precipitated with (NH₄)₂SO₄. Ginseng extracts were treated with a crude extract possessing β-glucosidase activity (1,089.2 μM/mL·min) at 60°C for 72 h. The results of HPLC showed that enzyme-treated RGE and enzymetreated WGE have increased amounts of minor ginsenosides compared to each controls implying that the ginsenoside Rb₁ in WGE and RGE is converted enzymatically to Rd, F₂, Rg₃, and compound K. In cytotoxicity study, 2.5 mg/mL of RGE, 1.25 mg/mL of ERGE, and 5 mg/mL of WGE and EWGE were effective against the HepG2, AGS, and DLD-1, but HeLa and SK-MES-1 were not affected at any concentration. The results suggested that cytotoxicity of ginseng extracts treated with β-glucosidase were greater than that of each control against cancer cells.