title: Production of ginsenoside F1 using commercial enzyme Cellulase KN.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ginsenoside F1, a pharmaceutical component of ginseng, is known to have antiaging, antioxidant, anticancer, and keratinocyte protective effects. However, the usage of ginsenoside F1 is restricted owing to the small amount found in Korean ginseng.
  
  
  METHODS
  To enhance the production of ginsenoside F1 as a 10 g unit with high specificity, yield, and purity, an enzymatic bioconversion method was developed to adopt the commercial enzyme Cellulase KN from Aspergillus niger with food grade, which has ginsenoside-transforming ability. The proposed optimum reaction conditions of Cellulase KN were pH 5.0 and 50°C.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cellulase KN could effectively transform the ginsenosides Re and Rg1 into F1. A scaled-up biotransformation reaction was performed in a 10 L jar fermenter at pH 5.0 and 50°C for 48 h with protopanaxatriol-type ginsenoside mixture (at a concentration of 10 mg/mL) from ginseng roots. Finally, 13.0 g of F1 was produced from 50 g of protopanaxatriol-type ginsenoside mixture with 91.5 ± 1.1% chromatographic purity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that this enzymatic method could be exploited usefully for the preparation of ginsenoside F1 to be used in cosmetic, functional food, and pharmaceutical industries.
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Ganjingzi-qu, Dalian, PR China; Department of Biotechnology, Hankyong National University, Anseong, Korea.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Genomic Informatics Center, Graduate School of Future Convergence Technology, Hankyong National University, Anseong, Korea.
authors.forename: Kang-Duk
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Ganjingzi-qu, Dalian, PR China.
authors.forename: Hongshan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Ganjingzi-qu, Dalian, PR China.
authors.forename: Fengxie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Hankyong National University, Anseong, Korea; Genomic Informatics Center, Graduate School of Future Convergence Technology, Hankyong National University, Anseong, Korea.
authors.forename: Wan-Taek
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Im
keywords: Cellulase KN; biotransformation; ginsenoside; ginsenoside F1; mass production