title: Metabolite profiles of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5 in zebrafish using ultraperformance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight MS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the present study, metabolite profiles of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5 from red ginseng or red notoginseng in zebrafish were qualitatively analyzed with ultraperformance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight MS, and the possible metabolic were pathways proposed.
  
  
  METHODS
  After exposing to zebrafish for 24 h, we determined the metabolites of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5. The chromatography was accomplished on UPLC BEH C18 column using a binary gradient elution of 0.1% formic acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid water. The quasimolecular ions of compounds were analyzed in the negative mode. With reference to quasimolecular ions and MS2 spectra, by comparing with reference standards and matching the empirical molecular formula with that of known published compounds, and then the potential structures of metabolites of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5 were acquired.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four and seven metabolites of ginsenoside Rk1 and ginsenoside Rg5, respectively, were identified in zebrafish. The mechanisms involved were further deduced to be desugarization, glucuronidation, sulfation, and dehydroxymethylation pathways. Dehydroxylation and loss of C-17 residue were also metabolic pathways of ginsenoside Rg5 in zebrafish.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Loss of glucose at position C-3 and glucuronidation at position C-12 in zebrafish were regarded as the primary physiological processes of ginsenosides Rk1 and Rg5.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Delivery System of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of New Drug and Clinical Application, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Wenwen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Delivery System of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yingjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of New Drug and Clinical Application, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Daoquan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Delivery System of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Delivery System of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: ginsenoside Rg5; ginsenoside Rk1; metabolism; ultraperformance liquid chromatography/quadrupole–time-of-flight MS; zebrafish