Rapid and Simultaneous Determination of Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc and Re in Korean Red Ginseng Extract by HPLC using Mass/Mass Spectrometry and UV Detection

Abstract

For evaluating the quality of ginseng, simple and fast analysis methods are needed to determine the ginsenoside content of the ginseng products. The aim of this study was therefore to optimize conditions for fast analysis of the ginsenosides, the active ingredients in extracts of Korean red ginseng. When tandem HPLC mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was used, four forms of ginsenoside, Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Re, were readily separated in seven minutes using a gradient mobile phase (acetonitrile and water containing acetic acid). This is the shortest separation time reported among the studies of major ginsenoside analysis. When gradient HPLC with UV detection was used, the detection limit was high, but separation of these four ginsenosides required 25 minutes using acetonitrile and water containing formic acid as a mobile phase. HPLC-MS/MS was able to separate ginsenoside Rg1 easily regardless of the mobile phase condition, but the HPLC-UV could not separate Rg1 because acetonitrile concentration in the mobile phase had to be maintained below 20%. Ginsenoside peaks were clearer and had more sensitive detection limits when Korean red ginseng extract was analyzed by the HPLC-MS/MS, but the UV detection was useful for chromatographic fingerprinting of all four major ginsenosides of the extract: Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Re. Extracts were found to contain 2.17 mg, 1.51 mg, 1.29 mg, and 0.46 mg of ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Re, respectively, per gram weight. The ratios of each ginsenoside in the extracts were 1.0 : 0.7 : 0.6 : 0.2, respectively. Taken together, the results indicate that HPLC-MS/MS spectrometry could be the most useful method for rapid analysis of even small amounts of major ginsenosides, while HPLC with UV detection could also be used for rapid analysis of major ginsenosides and for quality control of ginseng products.