Analysis of ginsenosides in Panax ginseng in high pressure microwave-assisted extraction

High pressure microwave assisted extraction (HPMAE) was applied to extract the ginsenosides from Panax ginseng root. The influences of extraction solvent, extraction pressure and extraction time were individually investigated. HPMAE has been compared with other extraction methods, including Soxhlet extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction and heat reflux extraction. The determination of ginsenosides was performed by HPLC–ESI-MS. The results indicated that the HPMAE not only took a shorter time but also afforded higher extraction yields of ginsenosides, especially ginsenoside Rb1, Rc, Rb2 and Rd. Furthermore, the neutral ginsenosides and malonyl ginsenosides in Panax ginseng root extracts by HPMAE were investigated. The malonyl ginsenoside m-Rb1, m-Rc, m-Rb2 and m-Rd degraded in HPMAE at 400 kPa (109–112 °C) in 70% (v/v) ethanol–water and at 600 kPa (112–115 °C) in methanol, and transformed into corresponding neutral ginsenoside Rb1, Rc, Rb2 and Rd. Using water as extraction solution, the neutral ginsenosides degraded under HPMAE at 400 kPa (135–140 °C), and transformed into less polarity rare ginsenosides.