Modern methods of identifying and determining ginsenosides

Ginsenosides are the main bioactive compounds of the Panax plant genus. Ginseng and its analogues are widely used to produce traditional medicines in China, Korea, Japan, United States, and the Russian Far East. For more than 40 years, many researchers developed methods of identifying and determining and ginsenosides in plant tissues, extracts, and commercial products. Various extraction methods were used to isolate these compounds from plant materials. The separation of ginsenosides was conducted with methods such as gas chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC method was used predominantly. Spectrophotometric and fluorescent monitoring and, later, light scattering and mass-spectrometry coupled with HPLC were used to determine ginsenosides. The most recent variants of these methods are presented in this review, together with a critical evaluation of the published results. © 2013 Allerton Press, Inc.