Comparison of ginsenoside contents and antioxidant activity according to the size of ginseng sprout has produced in a plant factory

Abstract

In this study, the ginseng sprout has produced through smart farm was classified according to its size and divided into above-ground (AG) and below-ground (BG) parts to compare ginsenoside contents and antioxidant activity. In the case of the AG part, the total phenolic contents were the highest at 5.16 mg/ g in medium (M) size and the lowest at 2.23 mg/g in largest (L) size. The BG part also showed the highest content in the M size, but there was no significant difference. Also, the total flavonoid contents were also high in the M size in both the AG (5.16 mg/ g) and BG (1.28 mg/g) parts. The major ginsenosides in the AG part were Re (20.33-24.15 mg/g) > Rd (11.36-27.42 mg/g) > Rg1 (4.48-5.54 mg/g) and the main ginsenosides in the BG part were Rb1 (5.09-8.61 mg/g) > Re (4.48-5.54 mg/g) > Rc (3.11-4.11 mg/ g) in orders. In the case of M size, Re and Rd were approximately 4-and 19-folds higher at 24.15 mg/g and at 27.42 mg/g in the AG part and 5.20 mg/g and 1.43 mg in the BG part, respectively. In addition, F3 and Rh1 were detected in the AG part, but not in the BG part. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (74.95%), 2,4,6-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphnoic acid) diammonium salt (94.47%), and hydroxyl (70.39%) radical scavenging activities and FRAP (2.169) assay were the highest in M size than other sizes.