The Characteristics and Antioxidant Activity of Non-enzymatic Browsing Products from Fresh Ginseng Bxtracts and Those with Arginine or Glucose

수삼추출물 및 Glucose 또는 Arginine첨가 추출물의 특성과 항산화작용에 대하여

Color is one of the most important quality factors of red ginseng (Hong-sam) which is processed from fresh ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer). Therefore, a study of characteristics of browning mixtures of aqueous fresh ginseng extracts, factors which accelerate the browning of the aqueous extracts, and the antioxidant activity of the browning mixtures may contribute to the improvement of the color and other quality of red ginseng and other ginseng products such as ginseng extracts. In the present study, factors which affect the Maillard-type browning reaction of aqueous extracts of fresh ginseng roots were investigated firstly by adding various concentrations (0.001-0.5M) of arginine or glucose solutions, by varying the browning reaction temperatures and durations. Secondly, some characteristics such as brown color intensity, amounts of water-soluble and ether-soluble extracts, amounts of non-dialyzable materials, pH, viscosity, and reactivity with 2,2'- diphenyl -1 - picrylhydrazyl and antioxidant activity of the browning mixtures of the aqueous fresh ginseng extracts with small amounts of 0.1 M arginine, 0.1 M glucose, and distilled water at various browning temperatures and reaction time were studied. The results of the present study are as follows. 1. Color intensity (absorbance at 470 nm) of the browning mixtures was increased by adding various concentrations of arginine solution to the fresh ginseng extract, but the addition of the same amount of glucose solution did not increase the color intensity. 2 The amounts of water- or ether-soluble extracts, amounts of non-dialyzable materials were slightly greater in case of the browning mixtures of the fresh ginseng extract with 0.1M arginine solution than in case of the browning mixtures of the fresh ginseng extract with the same amount of 0.1 M glucose solution. In the process of the browning reaction, the pH of the browning mixtures of the fresh ginseng extract with 0.1 M arginine solution decreased slightly, while that of the browning mixtures with 0. 1 M glucose solution was almost constant. 3. The color intensity (absorbance at 470 nm) of the browning mixtures of the fresh ginseng extract with 0.1 M arginine or 0.1 M glucose solutions did not correlate well with the reducing power or the antioxidant power of the browning mixtures. The antioxidant activity of 90% ethanol extracts from the earlier stages of the browning mixtures of the fresh ginseng extract with the arginine solution was almost comparable to that of the 90% ethanol extracts from the later stages of the corresponding browning mixtures. The browning mixtures of only the fresh ginseng extract or of the fresh ginseng extract with the glucose solution showed considerable antioxidant activity, although both showed less brown color intensity than the fresh ginseng extract with he arginine solution.